The Russian's worth the price I pay
by Ms. Belikov
Summary: ALL HUMAN! She's a waitress with a bad attitude. He's a billionaire with a reputation of breaking hearts. When they unexpectedly reunite years later, sparks explode and old flames ignite. But Rose wants nothing to do with Dimitri. Can he win her back?
1. Chapter 1: Old flames

**My Russian Billionaire**

_Chapter 1 – Old flames & Unfinished business_

"Hello, my name is Rose. I'll be serving you today. Can I start you out with something to drink?" I repeated the words I'd already said about fifty times since the beginning of my shift.

Fighting the urge to roll my eyes, I kept the fake smile plastered on my face, and readied my pen and notepad.

The two customers lowered their menus, revealing their faces. I sighed in exasperation.

"I told you guys not to come here! I'm working!"

Christian cackled evilly, while Adrian rubbed his palms together and fought to keep a serious expression etched on his handsome face.

"Now, miss…that is no way to speak to loyal customers of Montana's _Classic Chubby Burgers._" Adrian said.

Christian shook his head. "I agree. I think we deserve an apology."

"I think I need to shove this pen up your ass—"

"Manager?" Adrian shouted. "Your waitress is making threats—"

"Fine, fine. I'm sorry. Just be quiet." I waved my hands. "I'm already in enough trouble with my boss. I do one more thing to piss Stan off, and I'm fired. Now…what would you like to order?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that." Christian's pale ear perked up, he cupped a hand over it. "Can you repeat yourself miss…?"

I glared. "You know my name."

"Stan?" Christian shouted, capturing the attention of nearby customers.

"Rose," I cut him off. "My name is Rose. What can I get for you boys tonight? Something to drink? A beer? Name it. It's on the house."

Damn, it's painful to suck up your pride, lose all dignity, and play kiss-ass with your best friend's snarky boyfriend and your alcoholic ex.

Mom told me life was hard. But she never told me it would be this big of a bitch.

"Now, that's more like it." Adrian flipped through the pages of the menu.

Christian nodded and did the same. "I agree."

I gritted my teeth to keep the curse from escaping.

"I'll take a Shirley temple, with four ice cubes, and three cherries." Adrian said. "And make sure it has exactly that. Or else I will send it back, along with many complaints to the boss on how _Classic Chubby burger's_ waitresses do not know how to follow directions."

He smiled dryly and slapped the menu down on the table. "Oh, and add a Mega cheeseburger, along with an order of curly fries while you're at it."

"You are _so_ dead." I muttered, scribbling down his absurd demands on paper.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." I smiled, turning to Christian. "And what can I get for you, sir?"

"I'll have what he's having." I sighed in relief, drawing a number two on the notepad—the symbol for Chef's to double the order.

"Except…" he handed me the menu. I tucked it in my arm. "Replace the Shirley temple with a coke, no ice. And on that cheeseburger, take out the onions and switch them for extra pickles. I also want you to change the American cheese to Swiss—make sure it has absolutely no holes in it. Got all that, Rachel?"

"My name is Rose," I growled. "And yes, I've got all that."

With one last hard glance at their laughing faces, I stomped off and gave the chef their orders.

When their meals were ready, I snatched up the hot plates and headed towards the table. I was tempted to spit in their food, but decided against it at last moment. Those two idiots weren't worth losing my job over.

"Enjoy your meal." I threw the plates and drinks on the table, and went to my next customer.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you're actually making me do this," I slipped into the tight red dress and killer black pumps.<p>

"You're going to love it, trust me." My best friend, Lissa, leaned over the counter busy with perfecting her makeup. "Besides, it's for my brother's birthday. We'll just be there for a few hours, and then we're out."

I groaned in defeat. My voice suddenly became extremely whiney. "But I don't want to go! Do you think I want to spend my Saturday night in some fancy hotel filled with a bunch of rich snobs?"

"Hey! I'm one of those rich snobs. And so is my family." Lissa defended.

"I know. But you're a cool rich snob. So are Eric, Rhea, and Andre. That's the only reason I'm going to Andre's party."

Her reflection in the mirror wiggled its blonde eyebrows. "I know Andre wants you to be there...badly. He's very, _ahem_, fond of you."

I rolled my eyes. "It was one time, Liss! I swear. One time."

She grinned and winked. "That's not what he says. He's been obsessed with you ever since that …" She quoted the air. "_one night_."

"That's it. I'm done. I'm going clubbing instead."

I started taking off my heels, but Lissa stopped me by grabbing my leg. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I promise I won't pester you about it anymore tonight."

I cast her a wary glance. "That's not good enough, missy."

"What if I told you that we only have to spend an hour at this party?"

"An hour?" I gaped.

She nodded. "We say hello to everyone, wish my brother happy birthday, and then we're out."

"Can we go clubbing afterwards?" I asked.

She pursed her lips, obviously displeased, and spoke through gritted teeth. "Yes, we will."

"Sounds great!" I clapped excitedly. "Oh…and one more thing. I didn't have the time nor money to buy your brother a present. Although, I'd be more than happy to jump out of a giant cake for him and scream: _HAPPY BIRTHDAY!_."

Lissa laughed and smacked my arm. "Don't worry about it. Just give him a hug and you'll make his whole night. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, just let me say goodbye to Uncle Victor."

Lissa's angelic face became solemn and sad. "Okay."

I glanced in the mirror once last time. My chestnut hair was curled and pinned into an elegant up do, with a few strands down to frame my face. My lips shined, my eyes were big and brown. Rubies made my ears, neck, and hair sparkle.

My blood-red dress was like a second skin, clinging to all of my curves and insinuating my breast with its sweetheart cut. At five inches, the pumps made me just over six-feet tall. My tan legs looked a mile long.

I smiled and sighed approvingly. I looked _good_.

I walked into the living room and my good mood instantly vanished. I had the urge to bust out in tears.

Uncle Victor was on my beat-up old couch, reading the newspaper and sipping on his favorite black tea.

I fought the painful lump in my throat. He was getting _so _skinny. Too skinny. He looked like a walking skeleton. At fifty-two, Victor looked like he was in his late eighties or early nineties.

The Sandovsky's Syndrome, a chronic disease, had really been taking a toll on him lately. His most recent surgery was last Tuesday. It was meant to help slow down the process of the disease, but the procedure hadn't been successful and the only thing it had done was put my Uncle in more pain than he already was.

"Hi, honey." He turned his head and smiled at me. From the tight pinch on his face, I could tell it took a lot of effort and was painful. "How are you tonight? You look beautiful."

Looking at his heartbreakingly warm face, it made everything okay. It made my dead end job worth it. It made paying his endless hospital bills less painful. It made living at this dingy one bedroom apartment in this crappy neighborhood worth it.

Being twenty-three years old, I was supposed to be in college right now, partying with my friends, enjoying my freedom, possibly looking for a man who was marriage material. But instead, my life revolved around taking care of my sick uncle and living from paycheck to paycheck. Taking care of Uncle Victor would have been easier if I had someone's help. Anyone's help. But I had no one. Absolutely no one. I was alone.

I didn't regret anything I did for a single moment. That would be selfish if I did. It could be worse. And that's what I told myself every morning before I went to work.

"Thank you, Uncle Victor. I'm doing okay, how is your stomach feeling?"

He patted the bandages. "Better. I'm hanging in there."

Victor's pain pills were lined neatly on the coffee table. He popped a few into his mouth and washed them down with his tea.

"I'll make you some more tea before I go."

I went into my small kitchen and flicked on the faucet. I waited a few moments for the water to turn from murky brown to clear, and then filled up the teapot. When it whistled, I filled up a cup, plopped a tea bag into it, and stirred some honey in.

"Thank you, dear." I handed it to him. With slow and shaky movements, he brought it to his lips and took a sip. "Ah, wonderful. Just the way I like it."

I rubbed his scratchy cheek. "Will you be okay here tonight alone?"

"I'll be fine, dear. Go have fun. You worry too much about me."

I smiled and leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I love you, Uncle Victor."

"As I love you, Rosemarie."

* * *

><p>"Shit, this is the place?" Lissa pulled her white Mercedes convertible into Valet. The handsome man smiled at us and took the keys.<p>

"Yep." Lissa linked her arm through mine as we entered the building and walked across the ivory marble floor. "Nice, isn't it? Andre's got great taste."

The hotel was breathtaking. Simply breathtaking. Everything was gold. Gold staircases, gold drapes, massive gold chandeliers with thousands of gleaming crystals. There was a grand piano with a man in a suit playing some tune. The couches and chairs were white and made out of leather. Or at least what looked like leather, I couldn't see from where I was standing.

I suddenly felt very self conscious in my dress. I yanked it down a bit. "Yeah, it's great."

"Don't worry about it. You look great, Rose." Lissa stopped and asked a staff worker where the ball room was. She pointed us in the general direction.

"You're only saying that because you're wearing Vera Wang," I whispered, glancing down at her fabulously tailored emerald-green gown. "My dress is from Forever21. And it was on sale!"

"Stop complaining and just enjoy yourself." Lissa said behind gritted teeth. "Oh, look at that water fountain! It's my favorite part of this hotel."

I glanced over to where she pointed and gasped. It was an oval shaped pool with intricate designs at the bottom. There was a giant red light in the middle where the water shot out from. I stood there for a moment, just watching as the light and water turned from red, to blue, to gold, to green…

Beside me, Lissa rummaged her clutch and pulled out two pennies. She handed one to me. "Make a wish."

I snorted. "Make a wish?"

"Yep. Close your eyes, think about what you want, and then throw the penny." Lissa closed her eyes and clutched the penny to her chest. A moment later, she opened them, smiled, and threw the coin into the fountain.

"What'd you wish for?"

"I'm not going to tell you because if I do, it won't come true."

"This is real life, Lissa. Wishes and miracles and dreams just don't come true."

I chucked the penny into the fountain, it landed with the thousand other coins. I didn't wish for anything.

"Anything can happen if you just believe in it."

We laughed in unison. "How long have you been waiting to use that line?"

She shrugged. "Saw it in a cartoon once. I've been waiting for the right opportunity to say it."

"Is this it?" I asked, once we reached two giant, oak wood doors that touched the ceiling. A bald man who was built like a bull stood in front of them with his arms crossed, most likely a security guard or a bouncer. Either way, he looked ready to beat the shit out of anybody who tried to cross, so it was a little intimidating.

"If that is any indication," Lissa paused and pointed at a sign on the wall. In fancy cursive letters, it wrote:

_A. Dragomir, _

_Private party, 7:00 - 11:30 PM._

"Then I'd say yes, this is the ballroom." she finished her sentence.

"Look I've got plenty of my own sarcasm to go around, I don't need yours."

Lissa rolled her jade-green eyes and muttered something under her breathe. She linked her arm through mine and smiled charmingly at the guard.

"We're here for the party," she said.

He pulled out a clipboard. "Name."

"Vasilisa Dragomir and Rosemarie Hathaway." Lissa's voice was sweeter than sugar.

"Right this way, ladies." He opened the door, let us in. "You two enjoy yourselves." And then he closed the door shut.

I gaped at the ballroom.

"Well, don't stand there looking stupid. Come on." Lissa yanked on my arm.

"It's beautiful," I breathed.

"I know, right?" She grabbed to champagne glasses from a passing caterer, took a sip of one and handed me the other.

If I thought the hotel entrance was amazing, I was wrong. This ballroom was unlike anything I'd ever seen before.

Four humongous crystal chandeliers dominated the ceiling, giving the whole room a romantic and intimate glow. The walls were painted a brilliant ivory color with complicated gold designs on them. The tables had white silk on them and two red roses covered in what looked to be gold glitter. Beautiful men and women were scattered across the marble floor, mingling with one another. To top it all off, there was an open bar and endless supplies of food.

Yeah, Andre definitely had great taste. And he went over the top for his birthday party, but I never expected anything less.

I downed my champagne. It was time to loosen up a bit.

"Are you ready to say hi to everyone?" Lissa asked.

"Sure. Let's get this over with so we can go clubbing."

* * *

><p>We were all done exchanging greetings with almost everyone - Lissa's parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends. All that was left to do was wish Andre happy birthday and then we were out of this hell hole.<p>

With confident smiles on our faces, Lissa and I walked over to Andre. He was standing by all of his friends wearing a blinding white suit that screamed money. With his sunshine hair and green eyes, I had to admit that he was _very_ good looking. But he was also a player, and that's why I didn't let our relationship go any further than a sexual one. If I did, I knew I would only end up getting my heart broken.

About halfway to Andre, I stopped dead in my tracks and gaped.

No.

It couldn't be _him_.

"Why is _he _here?" I growled.

"Oh, he recently bought this hotel. I thought you knew."

"I didn't."

"He's also become great friends with Andre."

"Wonderful," I muttered. "Just wonderful."

Standing just fifty feet away from me, was the man who had broken my heart six years ago. Dimitri Belikov. Looking at him now, in his impeccable black suit and silk red tie, I knew without a doubt that he still owned my heart and soul. He always would. He had been my first love, the man I'd given my virginity to. I dated him in high school, when I was a senior and he was fresh out of college. We'd dated for two years, had been madly in love with one another, until Dimitri went on a internship for some business thing in Russia.

The distance hadn't been the only thing standing in our way. Our seven year age difference - me seventeen at the time, him twenty-four - had been a huge issue. Dimitri had only been in Russia for several months when I broke things off, and not in a good way. I'd done it over a text message. After that, I changed my number and cut off all ties to him. The whole reason I dumped him was because I was afraid he was going to dump me first. I couldn't stand the thought of him rejecting me, of him not wanting me anymore. So I did it first, before he could do it to me.

I regretted that decision I made nearly six years ago everyday. The what if's and would-have-been's killed me. What if I stayed with him? What would things be like for us now? Would he have proposed? Would we have children by now? Would I be as rich as he was? What would it be like to have a billionaire husband? What if I didn't have to work at such a crappy, minimum-wage job?

I hadn't talked to Dimitri ever since that day six years ago.

The last words he'd ever spoken to me were:_ I love you._

And the last words I'd texted to him were: _It's over_.

I had to imagine he wasn't going to be very happy when he saw me again.

Lissa stopped and and became concerned. "Are you okay?"

I plastered the most fake smile on my face and nodded. "Yeah. Let's do this."

When we were almost to Andre and his group of friends, Dimitri's head snapped up, almost like he sensed that I was there. There was no way I could deny the connection between us that crackled heavily through the air. Dimitri's wonderful dark eyes focused on me, and if I hadn't been paying close attention, I wouldn't have noticed the spark of surprise that flashed across his face. I guess he hadn't been expecting to see his long lost love tonight. That made two of us.

God, he was still so handsome. Age had done him well. Silky, shoulder-length brown hair. Dark, bottomless eyes. Knife-edged cheekbones. Narrow nose. Strong jawline. And perfect sensuous, plump lips.

I had the urge to rip off his clothes and take him right here on the ballroom floor. To hell with whoever watched.

The Russian God had his guarded mask on as he stared down at me from his staggering six-foot-seven height. His gaze practically burned holes into my face. Though he didn't show it, I knew he was furious behind that calm facade. I just read him that well...even after all these years.

I took a deep breath and somehow managed to tear my eyes away from his hypnotizing ones.

"Happy birthday, Andre!" I threw myself into his awaiting arms.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Dimitri stiffen and clench his jaw.

Andre laughed and held me tighter, completely oblivious to the tension going on around him. He kissed my cheek and whispered, "You look beautiful, Rose."

"As do you, my friend." I pulled back and ran my hand along his shoulder. "I'm liking the suit."

"I'm glad you do," he smiled. "I picked it out just for you."

I wasn't sure if I imagined it or not, but I swear I heard Dimitri's light growl.

Lissa gave Andre a hug. "Happy birthday, big bro."

I tuned out the rest of their conversation as Dimitri and I had an intense stare down.

"Hey, Comrade...long time no see."

He arched a dark brow. "It has been very long, Roza. Very, very long. Too long."

My heart skipped a beat at hearing my old nickname.

To distract myself and try to pass the uncomfortable feeling of his angry gaze, I grabbed a glass of champagne and downed half of it.

"I can see that you're doing just..._fine_." I said, glancing around the ballroom. "I heard you bought this hotel. It's very beautiful."

"Well, you know me, Rose. I've always had a taste for all things beautiful and divine." His eyes traveled up and down my body slowly, giving no effort to hide the fact that he was checking me out.

My body flushed with heat and want and...need.

Damn him. Damn him and the affect he had on my body even after all these years.

"So how was Russia and that internship?" I asked. Lissa and Andre were busy chatting it up.

A nearby caterer came by with a plate of chocolate covered strawberries. I grabbed a handful.

"It was good. It would have been better had my girlfriend not broken up with me and actually had the courage to call instead of sending a text message."He paused and sighed. "However, it has made me the man I am today and I do not regret leaving America."

A piece of strawberry went down my trachea. I coughed and swallowed the rest of my drink to wash it down. I was breathless when I spoke again. "I'm sorry to hear about that. That ex girlfriend of yours sounds like a real bitch."

I set my empty glass on a nearby table. "Hey, Liss?"

She turned around, smiling. "Yeah?"

"I'll meet you out by the water fountain, okay?"

I didn't wait for her to respond. I took off.

I'd been staring at the water spray and the colors change for about five minutes when I felt _his_ presence behind me. I closed my eyes as the first tear fell. "What do you want?"

"To talk." His accented voice was deep and tastefully thick.

I turned around to face Dimitri. "There's nothing to talk about."

"That's where you're wrong, Roza." His tone was like a knife that cut deep into my skin. "There's _so_ much to talk about."

"Okay, well...where do you want to start?" I laughed bitterly.

"Why'd you leave?"

"Because I wanted to get away from you. That didn't exactly workout, though. Obviously. You're standing right here in front of me."

"No, I didn't mean that. I mean, why did you leave me? Why did you break up with me?"

I shook my head and turned to face the fountain again. "I'm so _not_ getting into that right now. Too much shit has happened to me today already."

"Okay. Are you sleeping with Andre?"

I laughed again. "That's none of your business."

I heard him growl. "Why not?"

"Because it's personal," I said. "And you are no longer a part of my life. I owe you no explanations."

"I heard about your uncle. I'm sorry about that." I was surprised at how sincere he sounded.

"Yeah, well," I took a cigarette out of my clutch and lit it. "Everyone has problems."

"You smoke now?"

I shrugged and took a long drag. "When I'm stressed, yeah."

A passing staff worker stopped and stared at me. "Hey! There's no smoking in here-"

Dimitri raised a hand. "Leave us now. She may do as she pleases."

"I-I-I...my apologies, Mr. Belikov."

Dimitri ignored him. "Where are you living now?"

"Like I said before, it's none of your damn business."

He threw his hands up in exasperation. "I can see many things haven't changed. You are still the most frustrating and stubborn woman I have ever met."

I shrugged again and shoved the lighter back into my clutch. My name tag from _Classic Chubby Burgers_ seemed to jump right out of it and onto the ground. Dimitri leaned down and picked it up before I had a chance to protest. "This is where you're working?"

I grimaced. "No?"

He gave me a stern look.

"Maybe...okay, yes. Yes, I work there."

"I am astonished." He shook his head and laughed humorlessly as he stared at the name tag. "A woman like you shouldn't be working at a dump like that-"

I snatched it out of his hand. "Look, save your pity for someone else. I happen to love my job."

Dimitri cocked his eyebrow, obviously not believing me. "Are you sure about that? I don't think you do. I think you can do better than that. Much, much better."

"It pays the bills," I said. "Not all of us have millions of dollars shooting straight out of our asses. Some of us actually have to work hard to make a dime."

"You think I have not worked hard for the money I have earned? For the reputation and empire I have built for myself?" His tone was challenging. "I did it all alone. Everything...alone."

"Sucks for you." I flicked the cigarette into the water. Dimitri's eyes followed the movement, but he didn't say anything about it. "But at least you're a billionaire now, right? Got everything you wanted in life."

"Not everything." Dimitri pointedly looked at me. I sucked in a ragged breath.

"I gotta go." I said, hastily. He grabbed my arm, keeping me from going anywhere.

My skin warmed and tingled where he touched me. I wanted to melt on the stop.

Gritting my teeth, I eyed where our bodies connected. "Get your fucking hands off me."

"Not until you answer one question."

I growled. "What is it?"

"Do you still love me?"

My heart dropped. My chest constricted painfully tight. I met his dark eyes.

"Yes, Dimitri." I said, truthfully.

He closed his eyes, like he was in pain, and swallowed hard. "Yes what?"

"Yes, Dimitri. Yes, I still love you."

He released my hand, as if I'd shocked him. "That was all I needed to hear."

I suddenly felt rejected, my blood boiled with anger. "Well, you got what you want. Now leave me alone."

I stomped towards the door.

"You haven't seen the last of me, Roza. Believe me."

When I turned around, he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2: A Tempting Offer

**Authors note:** FLUFF ALERT! This story is going to have a lot of romance in it. I'll add some drama into it...but it's not going to be for awhile. So if you don't like fluff, then I suggest that you don't read this story.

WOW! Thank you all so much for your wonderful response! I'm having so much fun writing this story.

-Breanna

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p>When I got to work the next day, I was surprised when my friend and <em>Classic Chubby Burgers <em>bartender, Sarah, handed me a vase full of red roses. "For you, my dear."

"What the hell are these?"

"Roses, duh." She was busy pouring two Gin and Tonics.

"Who brought them here?"

"Sex on legs." she wiggled her eyebrows.

I narrowed my eyes. "Explain. What did he look like?"

"Tall. Longer hair. Dark eyes, with an orgasmic accent I couldn't place—"

"Yep, I know who you're talking about." I cut her off.

"Read the card. Read the card." Sarah excitedly clapped her hands.

I rolled my eyes before reading it.

_A dozen red roses for my beautiful Rose. You looked breathtaking last night._

_Truly yours, _

_D. Belikov_

I bit my lip, staring at his impeccable writing for one more moment. A blush crept up to my cheeks. I smiled and smelled the roses, unable to help myself.

God, he really knew how to sweep a woman off her feet. And he didn't even need his money or good looks to do so. He was simply that charming.

The smart part of my brain was telling me to throw the roses and note away, to be smart and not get emotionally involved with Dimitri again, but at the last moment, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I slipped the note into my back pocket…just in case I wanted to read it again later.

* * *

><p>The following two weeks went much the same way. I never saw or heard from Dimitri, but I'd get a new vase of roses everyday. Each bunch of roses was a different color…white, blue, pink, lavender, yellow.<p>

The roses were beautiful and smelled wonderful, but the notes were my favorite part. They each said something sweet and short from our past. It was heartbreaking and exhilarating reading them. It was worth the pain, though. It was worth it to reminisce on our once fiery and passionate love for one another.

I felt like I was living in the past. At night before I went to bed, I'd lay wide awake under the covers, imagining the way it used to feel with his huge arms wrapped around me protectively…keeping me safe from all harm.

I sighed dreamily when I read the note. It was another part from our past, something that was sentimental and extremely important to me…and to him, obviously, because he remembered it.

In perfect cursive writing, the note read:

'_Do you think I'm pretty?' you had asked._

'_I think you're beautiful.' Beautiful didn't even begin to cover it, I thought._

'_Beautiful?' you bit your lip, gazing down at the ground, as if you didn't believe me. As if you honestly didn't think you were as breathtaking as you truly were._

_You were so wrong._

'_You are you so beautiful, it hurts me sometimes.' And then I kissed your lips._

_I can still remember just the way you taste._

_Love,_

_D. Belikov_

I touched my burning mouth. I could still remember just the way he tasted, too. Sweet…like apples and cinnamon. And it was a painful memory…one I wanted to experience again.

I shook my head.

No. I couldn't let him get to me like this. I couldn't be vulnerable again. I couldn't give him the power to destroy me again.

Because if I did give him another chance, what if he packed up his bags and left again?

I don't think my heart could survive that. Hell, I don't think I could survive that.

"Get to work, cupcake!" My boss, Stan, said in his signature annoying, high-pitched voice. "Work doesn't get done by standing around." he clapped his hands together.

I swear that guy was just too damn happy all the time. I guess that's why we butted heads a lot. But for the most part, I respected him. He worked hard at his job and was efficient as hell.

"Fine, fine." I grumbled, handing Sarah my vase of daily roses.

She smiled and set them behind the bars counter, that way they were safe and out of the way of customers until I could pick them up after work and take them home.

On impulse, I leaned over the counter and picked up a single rose. I broke off the stem and tucked the rose into the breast pocket of my shirt, allowing it to peak out.

"Oh and one more thing, sugarplum," Stand said, holding up a pair of roller skates by their strings. "We've had a change in uniform."

My jaw hit the floor. "Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" My boss placed his hands on his hips. "I personally love them."

Stan then proceeded to show me just how much he loved them by giving me a little show. He rollerbladed around for a moment and did several quick spins, ending with a dramatic pose of his arms pointed towards the ceiling.

"But!" I protested in a real whiney voice. "I've never skated before. I'm going to end up breaking my neck!"

He tossed me the four-wheel, pink rollerskates with rhinestones on them.

"Breaking necks? _Breaking necks?_" Stan scoffed. "More like breaking hearts! Just imagine how delightful you'll look with those mile long legs in skates. I'm jealous!"

Stan seemed to be having too much fun with our new uniform edition as he slid all over the restaurant like an ice-skater on crack. "It's all about the 'tude, Rose. You've got to work it!"

I laughed and very reluctantly shoved my feet into the rollerskates. "Is everyone else doing this too? Or are we the only one making fools out of ourselves?"

He disappointingly shook his finger in my face, most likely at my choice of words. "Nope. All my waitresses and waiters are. And they love it just as much as I do. Right Shelby?"

Shelby happened to be gracefully skating by with a tray full of burgers. "Right, boss! Lovin' it."

"That's the spirit."

Stan paused as he pressed his palms together and sighed dreamily. "These skates gave _Classic Chubby Burgers_ a real kick in the behind, don't you think? My restaurant is finally looking classy again."

Stan smiled like a proud parent as he started to skate backwards towards the kitchen. "Get to work, sugarcane! There's a man in the back booths who has requested you—and only you—to serve him tonight."

"Shit." I muttered under my breath. "I think I have an idea who you're talking about."

"That Russian man?"

I grimaced. "Yep."

Stan chortled. "He's a real heartthrob, ain't he?"

I nodded. There was no need to lie…Dimitri was sex on legs. I couldn't deny that. It was fact.

"Too bad he's straight, though." Stand said.

I slapped a palm to my forehead. "_Do not_ tell me you asked him for his number!"

My boss grinned like the Cheshire cat. "_I did! _But he politely turned me down." Stan frowned, pressing his hands over his heart.

I outright laughed, something I had not done in a very long time…and it felt great, like a breath of fresh air.

"Get that rump to work, now!"

And then my boss disappeared behind the kitchen doors, singing the theme song of the 1980's Nair commercial. _"Who wears short shorts? I wear short shorts!"_

It was extremely difficult _not_ to get in a good mood when you were in his presence. _  
><em>

Just like Stan had said, I found Dimitri in one of the back booths—a more private and quiet area, cut off from the rest of the busy restaurant.

Of course he'd choose this spot.

He wanted to get me alone.

Damn him.

My roller blades slowed down as my eyes took control and checked Dimitri out. I mean really, really checked him out…

His shoulder-length brown hair was worn loose today, framing his face. My fingers ached to run through all that silkiness. My Russian God was gnawing on his bottom lip as he studied the menu, those bottomless eyes trained and focused.

Dimitri was wearing dark jeans and a fitting black V neck, revealing the top of his perfectly tanned chest…

My mouth dried up. I couldn't swallow.

Those long, lean legs of his were shoved under the table at a strange angle…almost like they were too lengthy to fit under the cramped booth.

A glass of lemon water was on the table. Dimitri picked it up and brought it to his mouth. I watched his lips wrap around the edge, his Adams apple moving as he drank.

When he pulled back and licked his lips, my thoughts went beyond R-rated…

"Well, are you going to take my order or stand there all day staring at me?" Dimitri spoke without ever taking his eyes off the menu.

Shit! He'd known I was there the whole time. I should have known better.

I stood there for a moment longer before regaining my composure—and some of my attitude.

Dimitri looked at the rose in my shirt with a satisfied smirk, but he didn't comment on it.

"What are you doing here?" I put my hand on my hip. Dimitri's eyes followed that movement, he hungrily licked his lips.

I gulped and suddenly broke out in a sweat.

God, the things this man did to me…

I fanned my face with my notepad.

"I came here to eat, of course." Dimitri set the menu down, brought his hands together, and stared at me with those hypnotizing brown eyes. They were so intense that I glanced at the ground to avoid his gaze.

"You're wasting your time. _Classic Chubby Burgers _doesn't serve Borscht. Or any other Russian food, for that matter. "

He rolled his eyes. "It's good to know some things never changed about you, Roza."

"Rose. My name is Rose." I corrected. "And in case you didn't know, stalking isn't really a big turn on for girls. You can leave me alone now."

"You think I came here to see you?" He cocked an eyebrow, his voice mocking. "Believe it or not, Rose, other things exist in this world beside you."

"Like internships in Russia?" I retorted.

Dimitri growled lightly. "You keep implying that I am the one who left you, that I am the one who broke your heart. When our situation is the complete opposite. You. left. me."

I slammed my palms down on the table, causing everything to rattle. I met his eyes and didn't look away. "You chose an internship over me. A damn internship!"

He suddenly stood up, causing our chests to bump together.

At six-foot-seven, Dimitri towered over me as he stared down at me with hard brown eyes.

"I didn't leave _you_. I only left _America_ because I wanted to provide a better life for us. I loved you, dammit. I loved you with everything in me." Dimitri got closer and closer to me with each word he spoke, causing me to back up until I hit another table. "And you left me. You left me because you didn't love me the same way I did you."

I gasped and shoved his chest. "How dare you say that! You have no idea how I felt."

"You weren't courageous and strong enough to tough it out. I know that much. So what if we had to spend a year apart? Sure it was hard for me…but if it meant I could provide a better life for you, that I could give you everything you ever needed and wanted…then I'd do it all over again."

"I didn't want money! I wanted you, Dimitri. I wanted you."

"I wanted to make you happy."

"You did make me happy…I was the happiest person back then." Without thinking about the consequences of my actions, I pressed my hand to his smooth cheek. Dimitri leaned into my palm, savoring the touch. "You made me feel like the only girl in the world."

He closed his eyes. "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

I let myself indulge for a minute, not caring how much it would hurt me later to pull away from him again…completely. I just enjoyed this moment of pure heaven.

I gazed into Dimitri's dark eyes as I ran my fingertips down his cheek, along his jaw, and tucked a lock of silky hair behind his ear.

His gaze flickered from my eyes to my lips. I could tell from his possessive and hungry expression that he wanted so much more…

"Can I kiss you?" Dimitri asked.

I gulped and bobbed my head up and down like an idiot. "Please." I whispered, breathless.

He wrapped his strong arms around me and pressed his body hard against my own. It was pure bliss and desire. Dimitri leaned down slowly, allowing his warm and sweet breath to tickle my face. I closed my eyes when his lips met mine, we both moaned in unison at the contact.

Dimitri's lips were as soft, warm, and sweet as I had remembered. Our mouths mingled together, our tongues moved in a slow and erotic dance, getting acquainted with one another. My mouth ached and I tried to put out that burning need with Dimitri's lips. But it didn't work. I could kiss him forever and it still wouldn't be enough, because I had been starved of him for so long…for six whole years.

God, he tasted so wonderful…and so familiar. He tasted like home.

"Oh, Roza."

His deep voice was like ice-cold water being dumped on my head.

I ripped my lips away from his and shoved him back.

Our breathing was heavy as I pointed a warning finger at him. "Don't _ever_ do that again."

"Don't kiss me back then." Dimitri growled.

Staring at his red and swollen lips wasn't helping me think straight, and neither would staring at those lust-filled eyes, so I opted to stare at his nose instead. "I-I-I—"

"You enjoyed it."

That spiked my anger. I jabbed my finger in his face. "You're so full of yourself. You know that, right? You think just because you're some fancy billionaire that you can push me around and make me do whatever you want. Well listen here, you arrogant bastard, it's not working!"

"I can still see that you bitch just as much as you did when we were together." Dimitri snatched up his jacket.

I felt something touch my chest, right over my heart. His fingertip. "And I want to make this clear," He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "I didn't push you around. You came to me willingly. You begged for it. You want me so badly you can't even think straight. You're unable to get your feelings for me under control…and I think a small part of you doesn't want them to go away."

Dimitri gently kissed my ear. I closed my eyes and tried to control my breathing. "I've always known you better than you've know yourself. Remember that, Roza."

And then he walked out.

* * *

><p>It had been a month since that day in the restaurant. I hadn't seen or heard from Dimitri at all. Even the roses and sweet love notes stopped coming. And I had to admit—no matter how much I hated to—that I actually missed getting attention from him. I missed Dimitri.<p>

I figured he'd gone back to Russia…or some other country. After all, he was a billionaire that flew all over the world for his business so it shouldn't have been a surprise. But it was still like a knife to my heart. It felt like he'd left me again…

It was now June in Montana and the weather was wonderful, not too hot, but not too cold either. I loved it. It was perfect for wearing my favorite shorts and flip-flops.

Today I chose to wear a casual blue tank-top and white shorts. I was picking Uncle Victor up from the hospital after his surgery so I wanted to wear something that was cute, something that would make him extra happy to see his niece.

I checked to make sure my necklace was hooked around my neck. It was a simple gold chain with two pendants on it, a rose and a cowboy hat. Dimitri had given it to me when we first started dating years back, and I hadn't taken it off since. I guess it was just sentimental value. It meant a lot to me, and I couldn't stand the thought of parting with it.

After brushing the tangles out of my hair and applying some lip gloss, I grabbed my keys, locked the door to my apartment, and headed off to the bus stop.

It took thirty minutes to get there. When I stepped inside the hospital and felt the cool air blast my hair back, I was relieved. This was so much better than being in that cramped and sweaty bus.

"How may I help you?" The nurse behind the counter smiled sweetly at me.

"Hi, yes. I'm here to see my Uncle. He just got out of surgery."

"Name, please."

"Victor Dashkov."

She typed some information into the computer, and then peered at me with bright green eyes. "Are you a relative, honey?"

I nodded. "Niece. My name is Rose Hathaway."

"Ah, yes. He's been waiting for you." I smiled at that. "He's in room 256 on the fourth floor."

I nodded. "Thank you."

I went up the elevator and found his room with ease. I'd been to the recovery center many times before.

I knocked on the door even though it was already open. "Hey, Uncle Victor. It's me."

"Come in, dear."

Uncle Victor's bed was half propped up so it put him into a sitting position. He was wearing the ordinary boring hospital gown and had about a million IV's on every inch of his arms and hands.

He smiled at me. "I've been waiting patiently to see you, Rosemarie."

I smiled back, unable to help myself. "How are you feeling, Uncle Victor? You look a lot better."

It was true. He'd gained about fifteen pounds in the past few weeks, which according to the doctor, was miraculous.

"Thank you, dear. I feel so much better." I could tell he meant that because he leaned forward, grabbed the slice of pizza on his tray, and took a big bite. A moment later, he swallowed a sip of his orange juice. "The surgery went well. I feel young, like I'm sixteen again."

A few tears slipped out of my eyes, a sob escaped my lips before I could stop it.

Uncle Victor noticed and immediately became concerned. "What is wrong, dear? Are you hurt?"

I shook my head and laughed. "No. It's just so good to see you have your appetite back. You look so good. I'm so happy."

He opened his arms. I ran into his embrace.

When we pulled back from our fierce hug, we both had tears streaming down our faces. He placed a kiss to my forehead. "I love you, Rosemarie. You know that, right? I love you so much. You are like a daughter to me."

I nodded and wiped my nose in a very unladylike manner. "I know. I love you too, Uncle Victor."

"It's beautiful out today, isn't it?" He gazed out the open window.

I turned around. The sun spilled through the entire room, giving it a golden glow. "Yeah, it is."

"I haven't been outside in so long." Uncle Victor smiled wistfully. "I think it's a perfect day to take a walk…"

"I think you're right."

He beamed at me, and he suddenly looked very young, like a child excited to go get ice cream. "Really? You'll take a walk with me?"

"Under one condition…"

"And what is that?"

"I get that fudge brownie." I pointed at his tray.

He glanced down and laughed before picking up the wrapper and tossing it to me. "Have at it. Now, let's get out of here."

* * *

><p>I'd just gotten out of the shower when I heard the doorbell.<p>

"Got it, Uncle Victor!" I wrapped the black robe around my body, slipped on my bunny slippers, and ran out the bathroom.

Uncle Victor was on the couch, watching the news, and sipping on his black tea. I just stood there for a moment, staring at him. I still couldn't believe how good he looked.

"I'm glad you're getting the door, because I sure wasn't going to. _Die hard_ is on HBO next. I'm not moving from this spot." he paused, and then said his favorite line from the movie. "Yippie-Ki-Yay motherfucker!"

"Uncle Victor!" I scolded, stifling my laugh.

"I'm sorry, dear. I cannot help it." he smiled. "I just feel _so_ good!"

The doorbell rang again.

"Coming!" I ran over and flung the door open.

Only to immediately close it again, but a pair of shiny, designer dress shoes stopped me.

"I don't mean to disappoint you. Were you expecting someone else?" Dimitri smiled.

"Yeah. A hot date."

His gaze traveled up and down my body, stopping at my bunny slippers. He arched a brow. "Wearing that?"

"Did you come here to insult me?"

"I came here to talk."

"I don't want to talk."

"Rose," Dimitri sighed in exasperation. "Please. You owe me this much."

"I don't owe you shit."

"I just want to talk to you. Friend to friend. I will leave when you ask me to. Just please…hear me out first."

His brown eyes were so sincere and gentle, that I cracked right on the spot. "Just a talk?"

"Just a talk."

"And you'll leave if I feel uncomfortable?"

"I'll leave the instant you ask me to."

"Fine." I let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Come in."

I let go of the door.

Dimitri stepped inside and looked around the living room. He tried hard to hide the look of distaste from his face, but failed miserably.

In that impeccable black Armani suit, I couldn't believe how out of place he looked in my small apartment.

"So..." I said. "This is _mi casa_."

"I can see that."

"Please don't give me that look of pity. I'm poor. Not homeless."

He nodded hastily as his eyes fell upon Uncle Victor sitting on the couch, who was now very engrossed in the movie _Die Hard_. Apparently, he hadn't even noticed us come in.

"This is Uncle Victor." I patted his shoulder. "Uncle Victor, this is Dimitri Belikov."

"It's very nice to meet you, sir." Dimitri said, going to shake his hand.

"Uh huh." Uncle Victor's lips were parted, he never took his eyes from the screen.

I chuckled and cast Dimitri a glance. "He's sort of…into the movie right now. I don't think you'll be able to get a word out of him."

The Russian God stared at the TV. "I can understand. It's a good movie, one of my favorites."

"You mean to tell me that you like other movies besides John Wayne?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, I do. But I prefer John Wayne movies because they remind me of the times you and I used to watch them after we made love—"

"Do you want to leave?"

"No. I'm sorry…I just get carried away with memories." Dimitri took a deep breath. "I promise not to talk about our past anymore."

"Good. Now come on." I went into my bedroom. He was hot on my trail.

I closed the door.

"This is your bedroom?" he asked.

"Duh."

Dimitri did a little survey of my room. He ran his hand along the red comforter of my bed. "I can't believe you still have this."

I couldn't help but smile. "That blanket has been loyal to me for twelve years."

He wandered over to my dresser and looked at the photo frames on top. There was one of me and Uncle Victor, one of Lissa and Christian, one of Adrian alone, and…

"You still have this one of us?" Dimitri asked, picking it up and studying it.

I shrugged. "It's hard to part with."

"This is my favorite photo of you and me."

It was my favorite, too. Lissa had taken it when Dimitri and I had been dating a little over a year. The picture was of Dimitri giving me a piggy back ride in the park. I had my arms wrapped around his neck, laughing, while Dimitri was smiling and staring up at me. It was the perfect picture of sincere happiness and love.

Look where we are now.

_Wow, we'd come along way…_I thought, sarcastically.

I plopped down on my bed and sprawled my legs out. Apparently Dimitri was done investigating my room because he came and sat down next to me.

"So what did you want to talk about?" I asked. "Can we get this over with quickly? I'm tired and I have to get up early for work."

"As you wish, Roza." Dimitri said. "I need you to keep an open mind here. This may come as a shock to you."

"You're gay?...Because I'm sorry to break it to you, Dimitri, but that wouldn't be very shocking."

"Rose." he warned, narrowing his eyes.

"Fine, fine. I'll be serious and listen." I locked my mouth and pretended to throw the zipper away.

"And keep an open mind?"

I slowly nodded.

"I want you to move into my mansion and be my housekeeper."

"WHATTTT?" I rocket launched out of bed and stared at him.

"See…I knew you would react like this. That's why I asked you to keep an open mind."

"You bet your ass I'd react like this. I'm not going to be your maid! Who the hell do you think I am?"

"You didn't let me finish with my…_offer_."

I put my hand on my hip. "Please, finish. I am dying to hear your offer." Sarcasm dripped from my words.

"I want you to move out of your apartment," he made a sweeping gesture. "And come live with me in my home. I will give you everything you need—food, a new car, money. All I ask of you is to help me around the house a bit."

"I have to take care of Uncle Victor. I can't leave him alone."

I pursed my lips.

Did I seriously just say that?

The only words that should have come out of my mouth were _Fuck_ and _you_. _Get the fuck out_ would have worked, too.

Dimitri smiled victoriously. Shit…he knew he'd captured my interest. I was like a fish on a hook.

"I will offer your Uncle a room of his own and the best medical services."

I just stood there. "Uncle Victor would have his own room?"

"Absolutely."

God, Uncle Victor would go crazy if he knew that…

"And the best medical services?"

"The best nurses, doctors, specialists, surgeons…whatever he could possible need, I will pay for it. I also will provide you with the same services."

I gaped and swallowed hard. "I-I-I…I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Dimitri stood up. "Just think about it, okay? Let it settle in."

I nodded, unable to find my voice.

He ran his fingers along my jaw and pressed a kiss to my cheek. "Here is my card, Roza. Call me when you've made your decision." I felt something slip into my hand.

"Get some rest, you look tired." he opened the door and looked back at me. I was still frozen with shock on the spot. "Good night, Roza. I'll talk to you soon."

And then he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3: Changes

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p>"<em>But I don't wanna!" I pouted.<em>

"_You're doing this, Rose. We are young women and we need to learn how to defend ourselves." Lissa said sternly. "Now, come on! Let's go. We're already five minutes late."_

"_I am always fashionably late."_

_Lissa yanked on my arm and tugged me inside _Brazilian Jiu jitsu Palace.

"_Get started on your stretches everyone!" A deep male voice commanded, it was tinged with a faint Russian accent. It sounded yummy, and I wanted to hear more._

"_Oh, my gosh. We're late, Rose. They've already started. We should slip out before they see us."__ Lissa said, obviously embarrassed._

"_No way." I was too eager to hear that voice again. I wasn't going anywhere. _

_The lady at the desk signed us in and told us to join everyone on the mats. _

_We did._

_And that's when I saw who that voice belonged to._

_The man was tall. Really, really tall. Six-foot-six or six-foot-seven. His brown hair reached his shoulders and was tied into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His face was fierce—narrow nose, sensuous lips, knife-edged cheekbones, strong jaw line, and finally...those dark, dark eyes. _

_My God. He was the hottest man I'd ever laid eyes on. He was a god._

_I sighed dreamily._

_The mans head suddenly snapped up, having heard the noise. Those bottomless eyes met mine, he raised his brows._

"_Hold up everyone. We have more students joining us." The crowd groaned and all shot me a nasty look. I stuck my tongue out at them. This made with the Russian god laugh._

"_Let me start with the introduction…again." he said, looking me dead in the eye. "My name is Dimitri Belikov and I am a black and red belt instructor. I'll come around during class and catch up with those I haven't seen for a while and hopefully get to meet those who are new here."_

"_I don't like him." I whispered to Lissa._

"_Why?"_

"_He's got a serious attitude. I have a feeling we're going to be butting heads a lot."_

_This made her bust out laughing, causing everyone to turn and look our way—including Dimitri Beli-whatever._

_A hand slammed to Lissa's mouth. "I'm so sorry! Okay, I'll be quiet now."_

"_Get started with the stretches everyone." his voice was sharp and clipped._

_I stifled my laugh._

_We hadn't__ even been here for five minutes, and we'd already managed to irritate our instructor. Oh, this night was going to be fun…_

_Forty-five minutes later, I was practically swimming in my own sweat and panting like a dog._

"_I hate this class." I panted._

"_Me too."_

"_Alright everyone." Dimitri, the asshole instructor who hadn't bothered to come by and say hi to me—like he said he would—grabbed some sort of pad looking thing. He pushed his right arm through two straps and held it to his chest._

"_I want you all to line up. Sydney, please come and demonstrate the kick."_

_Sydney was a black belt and apparently Dimitri's little helper. She hadn't left his __side the entire time we'd been here. _

"_Yes, sensei." she pressed__ her fists together and gave a sharp bow. "Thank you. I will not disappoint you."_

"_No need to brown nose him, Syd." I yelled from the back of the line._

_Snickers and restrained laughter echoed throughout the room. Dimitri shot me an angry look. _

_I had to admit__ that Sydney was pretty badass. She ran full force towards Dimitri, barked out something in Korean, and landed a rough kick to the pad._

"_Good job." he smiled proudly at her._

"_Thank you." she dabbed the sweat from her forehead._

"_Okay next." Dimtri said, bracing himself for the next kick._

_Before I knew it, it was getting close to my turn. Lissa was in front of me. "I don't think I can do it." she told Dimitri._

_He smiled kindly. "This is your first time. Just try your best."_

_Oh, she did._

_And it took everything I had to keep from busting out laughing.__ I was supposed to support my best friend._

_God bless her soul. She tried. She failed. And she fell straight on her ass. But she tried…and that was all that mattered._

"_Good job. Don't be upset. You will get better in time." Dimitri gazed at Lissa._

_She nodded, said thank you, and walked off towards the benches rubbing the sore spot on her bottom._

"_Next." his voice was bitter and displeased._

"_God, do you really hate me that much already?"_

"_I do not hate anyone ms…?"_

"_Rose," I said, crossing my arms. "My name is Rose. You would have know that had you actually came around and gave half an effort to say hi to me."_

_Dimitri arched a challenging __brow, almost as if to say 'Watch it. You're on dangerous ground here.'_

"_Asshole." I muttered under my breath._

"_What was that?"_

"_Nothing."_

"_I am an excellent lip reader, Rose. I know exactly what you just said." I heard a spark of amusement in Dimitri's voice. _

"_You can read lips?" I asked. "Then read my lips now: _I do not like you_." I mouthed._

"_The feeling is mutual, Rose." Dimitri said, but there was a smile on his face. "The feeling is mutual…"_

_I gave him the finger._

"I still cannot believe you're moving in with _S.O.L_." Lissa's voice brought me out of the memories.

"_S.O.L._?" My brows rose in confusion as I stuffed my toiletries into a small box.

"Sex on legs," Lissa explained.

I chuckled.

"You're one lucky bee-otch." My best friend disliked swearing, obviously. She either initialed them like she had done with _'S.O.L.'_, or she changed the curse words into funny sounding ones like: bee-otch, sheet, A-hole, and fug. It was quite funny really.

"Lucky?" I snorted. "You call moving in with Dimitri _lucky_?"

"Yeah." Lissa said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I rolled my eyes. She was right. I was lucky, but I was never going to admit to that fact.

"You don't have to be his maid." I pointed at her. "You're the lucky one."

"I'd be Dimitri's housekeeper any day." she winked, wiggling her blonde brows.

"Hey," I poked her ribs. "You're with Christian. You cannot talk like that."

"I meant hypothetically," she corrected herself hastily. "I meant that I would hypothetically be Dimitri's live-in housekeeper any day. I would be his hypothetical maid. In his hypothetical mansion. I'm hypothetically speaking, of course. This is all hypothetical."

"Careful Liss," I eyed her throat. "I think you're choking on your words."

This got a disdain eye roll.

I sighed tiredly and looked around my home. "Strange as this may sound, I think I'm going to miss this place."

After two whole weeks of thinking hard and debating my options, I decided to take Dimitri up on his offer. I'd called him earlier this morning to tell the news. He'd already been over to my apartment with a team of professional movers.

When I'd tried to take my furniture, Dimitri had simply shaken his head and told me he would buy all brand-new stuff. Well truth was, besides my couch, small T.V., and bed…I didn't have much.

When Dimitri realized this, he ordered the movers out, emptied handed—still promising to pay them for their troubles. Of course he would, that rich snob. He made more money in one week then the whole moving company did in a whole year.

It was sad.

After telling me to pack just the necessary items, Dimitri went out the door with a cell phone to his ear, apparently making an important business call.

I was still hesitant to move into his mansion, scared of what living with the man who owned my heart would do to me. But then I would think of what kind of crappy life I was living now….and I'd think of Uncle Victor.

Victor.

He was the only reason I was doing this.

I didn't give a damn about myself. If moving in with Dimitri meant that I could make Uncle Victor happy…then I'd bite my tongue and do it in a heartbeat. I'd do anything to make him happy.

And when I had told him he was going to have his own room and the best medical services….well, let me just say….he went apeshit.

I smiled as I thought of his brilliantly happy face. To say he was a little excited would be the understatement of the century.

"Well, that's it." I grabbed the last two boxes.

"Where's Uncle Victor?" Lissa asked curiously.

"With the Russian," I locked my apartment. "The two just can't seem to get enough of one another."

"That's good. I'm glad they're getting along."

"Uh-huh. Yeah." I made a funny sound.

We walked to Lissa's white Mercedes convertible. I threw my boxes in the backseat.

"Bye, home." I waved at my apartment. "This is our farewell. We've had a good run, but it's over between us. It's time to move onto bigger and better things. And I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't happy to be leaving your crappy ass behind."

We'd been driving for about fifteen minutes, jamming to music and bobbing our heads, when Lissa abruptly turned off the radio and ripped off her over-sized sunglasses.

"Hey!"

"I just don't get it. Why is he doing all of this?"

"Huh?"

Those jade-green eyes pierced mine. "Dimitri. Why is Dimitri doing all of this? I mean, I think it's awesome that he's helping you out. But there has to be something in it for him. True?"

"True."

"Well what is that something?"

I shrugged. "Don't know."

She cast me an _'are you stupid?'_ look. "That something is you Rose. _You_."

"Well he ain't going to get me."

"Dimitri's a genius." Lissa suddenly started laughing.

My eyes widened. "Have you gone insane? He's a manipulator! He did this so he could try and win me back."

"What you consider manipulation is considered an extremely genius plan in my eyes." she said. "Can't you see what he's trying to do?"

"Get into my pants?"

Lissa shook her head. "No. Well, I mean yes. That would be a plus for him—both of you actually." she cackled evilly. "But he's not in it just for sex. Dimitri wants more. So much more. He wants your heart."

I snickered. "Dramatic much?"

"It's _soooo_ true though! Don't you get it?" she squealed. "Oh, my gosh! It's _soooo _romantic!"

I rolled my eyes. "You've lost your mind."

"Let me explain." Lissa grunted, making a sharp right turn. "Dimitri is spending thousands upon thousands-"

"Thousands of dollars isn't anything to him. A cup of water in the ocean."

"Let me finish." she snapped. "He is spending tons of money to have you and Uncle Victor stay there. He is providing you with everything you could possibly want: Food, Cars, Money..._everything_."

"I don't see where you're going with this..."

Lissa growled. "Shut the trap and don't interrupt."

I pursed my lips.

"As I was saying..." My best friend continued. "Dimitri is trying to win you back. By bringing you into his home, means the two of you will have to spend a lot of time together. And what does that mean, Rose?"

I kept my mouth shut.

"ROSE!" Lissa said with clear impatience.

"What? You specifically told me to let you finish."

"I'm finished. Now answer my question."

"What question?"

"What will happen when the two of you are around each other _a lot_?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not psychic. Can't tell the future."

Lissa rolled her eyes, placed her glasses back on her face, and concentrated on driving. "For one minute, Rose. Just be serious."

"Fine." I huffed. "By spending a lot of time with Dimitri…I think it may make me…I don't know…start falling in love with him again?"

"Exactly," she said. "And how do you feel about the possibility of developing feelings for him..._again_?"

"I'm scared." I breathed. Those words stung my throat because I knew they were the truth. "I'm scared that if I give him my heart again, he'll run off with it and destroy me. But most of all, I'm scared that he'll leave me again. I don't want to be alone, Liss."

"You're not." One of Lissa's hands rubbed my shoulder soothingly. "You never will be. You've always got me."

I smiled slightly. "Thanks."

"I'm about to say something that's not going to please you. So I'm asking that keep an open mind here, okay?"

I groaned. "Fine."

"What Dimitri is doing for you and Victor is very _generous_...to say the least. And all I ask of you is that you try and give half an effort to be polite to him."

I pursed my lips and pondered the thought for a moment. "Okay, deal. I'll try to be nice. But if he asks me to wear a French maid costume while I clean, I'm going to punch him square in the mouth."

We laughed as Lissa pulled her car up to the Mansion's massive iron gates.

"What's the code again?" Lissa asked.

"It's twenty-one digits, you ready?"

"Twenty-one digits? Holy Moley! Who is he trying to keep out?"

"Are you ready?" I held the paper in my hands.

"Yeah, go ahead."

"556321007954438800134."

"I got the first seven; can you repeat the rest again?"

After four more unsuccessful attempts, the buttons finally lit green and beeped. The gates slowly opened.

Once they shut behind us, we drove up a long dirt path.

"Wow." I gaped. "It's unlike anything I have ever seen before."

"It's beautiful."

Everything was green. Green grass, green bushes, green trees, and some sort of cool twisting green plants.

My eyes flickered up to the mansion about half a mile ahead. I gasped.

It was humongous. And it was all made out of glass, allowing you to see everything inside. Dimitri's home was…indescribable. I'd only seen mansions like that in magazines and movies.

"Oh, come on. He's got cars, too. I'm jealous." Lissa huffed.

A red and black Lamborghini Reventon, gray McLaren F1, orange Ferrari Enzo, and a blue Porsche Carrera were all parked beside each other in the massive driveway.

I knew all of the cars by name because of Dimitri. He had been entirely obsessed and fascinated with fast and expensive cars when we'd dated, and that obviously hadn't changed one bit…it had only gotten worse.

"That bastard has got everything." I muttered as Lissa pulled her Mercedes next to the Lamborghini.

She shut off the car and pointed. "Oh, lookey, lookey at the water fountain!"

My gaze flickered to where she was pointing. There was a colossal wall water fountain. The water gushed down black bricks and spilled into the clear rocks below. It was tasteful…and so Dimitri. He liked to go all out and show off.

I got out of the car and shut the door. Lissa's heels clinked as she came over to stand beside me.

"Smell the air, Rose." she inhaled deeply. "Smells good, doesn't it?"

I nodded and let the fresh, cool air fill my lungs. "Like pine trees, rain, and…imprisonment."

She rolled her jade-green eyes. "This is _not _going to be like prison."

"Says you," I grabbed the boxes out of the back. "You don't have to live with _him_."

I heard her soft, frightened gasp.

I turned around to see what was wrong and dropped the boxes. "Holy shit."

There was a dog standing five feet away from us.

I think it was called a Siberian Husky…yeah, yeah that's what it was. The thing kind of looked like a wolf. It had a ton of black fur; its face and chest were snow-white. The dog's eyes were hauntingly beautiful and equally terrifying. They practically glowed with an electrifying silver color.

And that's when the dog barked, low and rough and powerful.

Lissa screamed. I froze with fear.

"What do we do?" My best friend whimpered.

I searched my brain for answers. "I-I-I…do not run. And don't be scared, they can smell your fear."

"How the fuck am I _not _supposed to be scared? There's a vicious beast standing right in front of us." Lissa spoke through gritted teeth. It was the first time I'd ever heard her use the F-bomb.

I gulped and met the husky's mesmerizing eyes. It barked again.

A sweat broke out all over my skin, the terror pumped through my veins. Shit. How bad did a dog bite hurt? I had to imagine it was painful. What if I distracted the dog and let it bite me while Lissa ran for safety?

I could do that.

But…Oh, god. What if it went for my throat?

"Don't make eye contact." Lissa hissed.

I averted my eyes.

A loud whistle rung through the air, stabbing my ears. I cringed. Dimitri stood there with two fingers in his mouth. He whistled again.

"Roza! Come here, baby!" he patted his thighs. "Don't scare the nice ladies."

The dog wagged its tail as it ran over and jumped on Dimitri. He laughed and patted the husky's head. "That's a good girl."

Dimitri leaned down and picked up a tennis ball. He pulled his arm back and threw it across the field, in the opposite direction. "Go get it Roza!" The dog let out an excited yelp and tore off.

Lissa and I let out relieved breaths, our bodies sagged. A hand flung to her chest. "Oh, my gosh…that was so scary! My heart is still beating so fast."

I held out my hand. "And I can't stop shaking."

Dimitri was busy picking fur off his impeccable black Armani suit as he walked up to us. "I apologize for that. I can assure you that Roza is not a danger to you, she wouldn't harm a fly." he let a throaty chuckle that was music to my ears. "She's just very curious and you two seemed to intrigue her."

"You named your dog after me?"

"No, your mother named _you_ after my dog."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Kidding, Roza." he held up his hands and busted out laughing. "Just trying to lighten up the mood. Come. Come inside."

"Are you speaking to me or the pooch?" I asked. "It's kind of hard to tell with both of us having the same name and all."

"I am speaking to you."

Lissa elbowed me in the ribs. "Be nice."

"Come in, come in. Welcome to your new home." he smiled at me. That one gesture took my breath away...he was so beautiful when he did that.

Dimitri led us inside. I watched his back muscles ripple through his suit with each step he took. There was a reason I called him a god—he had the body of one.

I glanced over at Lissa. Those eyes were glazed over and she was gnawing on her bottom lip.

Hmmm...

My eyes followed to where she was looking.

Right at Dimitri's backside.

I didn't blame her for her perversion...he did have a yummy ass. It was even better without the pants.

I purposely bumped her shoulder. "Eyes up. Eyes up!"

Lissa shook her head, swallowed hard, and nodded. "Y-y-y-yeah sorry. I-uh...never mind." she stumbled over her words, flustered.

I smirked. I guess I wasn't the only girl nearly hypnotized by Dimitri.

We stepped inside and were immediately met with two grand staircases with black Victorian railings. A glowing, see-through piano was in the middle of the floor. The place already screamed _money!_

"This is the living room."

The living room was just as magnificent as the outside. It was all white. Ivory marble floors, snow-white couches, eggshell walls, curtains that reached the mile long ceiling, and expensive looking Greek gods and goddesses statues that made me not want to walk by them because I was afraid I'd tip them over and break them. The sun seeping through the windows gave the place an almost dreamlike feeling. It was what I imagined heaven to be like.

A glass table was in the middle of the floor with a white vase and...red roses. I somehow didn't believe that was coincidental.

"It's...wonderful." Lissa commented.

"Wow." I gaped, at loss for words.

"Do you like it?" Dimitri's voice instantly soured my mood.

I shrugged. "It's alright. I guess."

His face fell slightly. Regret twisted in my chest.

"Anyways," Dimitri quickly regained his composure. "Wait until you see the rest of the house. Come on, I will show you."

On our way to the dining room, we passed at least several people. None of which Dimitri introduced us to. He'd simply nod and smile at them. They all went by with smiles and respect—mixed with a little bit of fear—in their eyes. They all said the same thing..._'Hello, Mr. Belikov.'_ short and polite, I liked that.

But that's when I realized, with thick dread, that they were all employees of his.

I let out a long sigh. What had I gotten myself into?

The dining room was elegant and beautiful...and took my breath away—much like the other parts of the house had. The gold curtains were closed, hiding the massive glass windows that I knew were on the other side. There was a long, rectangular shaped cherry-wood table. It was smooth, glossy, and smelled lemony, as if someone had just polished it. Two white candles sat on each side, placed in silver, intricately designed holders. A gleaming crystal chandelier hanging above the table gave the room an intimate glow. I glanced at the brown walls, straight at a Madonna and child painting. I stared at it for awhile, thinking of how my mother abandoned me when I was seventeen, when Dimitri's deep voice shook me out of my reverie. "Kitchen?"

Lissa nodded and grabbed my hand. "Come on."

"Hey, Dimitri?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"What exactly do you do?"

"What?"

"What do you do for a living? What kind of business are you in? How do you make all of that money?"

He brought his hands together. "I buy hotels."

"Is that all? That doesn't sound very hard."

Dimitri outright laughed. "You make is seem so simplistic. What I do is so much more complicated than you could imagine. But it pays well."

"Obviously." I muttered.

"You have a beautiful home, Dimitri." My best friend chimed in.

"Come on, Liss. There's no need to kiss his ass. He's already got plenty of people doing that."

"Rose!"

His full lips twisted in amusement, he decided to ignore my comment and kept walking. "Thank you, Lissa. I highly appreciate your compliment."

I snorted. "Do you always talk like that?"

"Like what?" Dimitri stopped and spun around. His voice was challenging with a tinge of mock, almost as if he knew what I was about to say.

I made a funny face and tried my best to imitate his Russian accent. "_I highly appreciate you compliment, Lissa! _ What century were you born in? People do not talk like that these days."

"What can I say? I'm different." Dimitri shrugged. He didn't seem bothered by my insult at all.

Damn it.

He slammed open two doors.

They swung shut behind us.

The kitchen was enormous—the biggest one I'd ever seen—with blue tiling, stainless steel appliances, black granite counter tops, and cool little light thingys that hung from the ceiling.

"Cool." I nodded. "This has to be my favorite room so far."

A lady suddenly burst through another set of doors, wearing a white chef's outfit. She was pretty...really, really pretty. Her hair was the color of the sun and her ocean-blue eyes sparkled as she smiled at Dimitri. He smiled back.

I felt an unwelcome stab of jealousy. "Bitch." I muttered softly under my breath.

"Bonjour, Dimitri." she greeted with a heavy French accent. Great, just great...I think she just got even hotter. If that was possible.

"Opal." He nodded, his smile getting wider. From the way he looked at her, and the way she looked at him...I could tell they were close. Very, very close.

Why did I have the sudden urge to commit murder?

The two conversed in French, laughing and smiling and touching arms at certain times.

"I'm going to rip her head off." I growled to Lissa. Dimitri and Opal were still chatting away.

"Relax, Rose. Take it easy. Just breathe." Lissa instructed.

"I don't want to breathe; I want to shove a knife through her heart."

"Yikes," she laughed a little uneasily. "That's...harsh. Come on. You don't know her. You haven't even met her. Give the girl a chance before you be a complete bitch to her."

I inhaled angrily through my nose, like a raging bull. "No promises."

"This is Vasilisa and Rosemarie." Dimitri switched to English. Opal shook Lissa's hand.

"Rosemarie is moving into the mansion. Rose, this is Opal. She is my head chef and she makes the best pancakes, isn't that true?" he smiled at her.

Opal snorted. "Oh, come on, Dimitri. You give me way too much credit." she stuck out her hand. "It is so very nice to meet you, Rosemarie."

"It's Rose," I corrected sharply, taking her petite hand in mine. "And yeah, it's nice to meet you too."

Opal seemed thrown off by my harsh tone. She stared at me a moment longer before nodding and glancing up at Dimitri. "Well...uh, I better get back in there. The food won't cook itself."

Shrilling giggles filled the room. I couldn't believe she actually thought her joke was funny.

With one last smile at Dimitri, she disappeared into the other room.

Anger burned in his dark eyes. "I have offered you to live in my home, to stay here for free, show a little respect and do not treat my employees like that."

I huffed. "But-"

"I don't want to hear it. Let's finish touring. I have meetings to attend."

I suddenly felt really sad. I hated when Dimitri was mad at me…it made me feel strangely empty inside, as weird as that may sound.

By the time Dimitri was done showing us his multimillion dollar mansion, my feet were killing me and I felt like I'd run a marathon.

The house was bigger than I could ever dream of. There was a lounge room, a cinema complete with a giant projector screen, a library, a meeting room, Dimitri's office, bowling lanes, two giant pools…each with their own hot tub, and a game room.

The game room was my favorite spot in the whole house; it was located in the basement. It had everything from pool tables to a refrigerator stuffed with snacks and drinks.

I was definitely going to be spending most of my time in there.

"Are we done yettttttttttttt?" I whined, dramatically dragging my feet across the floor.

"How old are you?" Dimitri asked. I could tell that he was irritated.

I narrowed my eyes. "Well you left me when I was seventeen, and that was six years ago. Seventeen plus six is twenty-three. So, yeah. That would make me twenty-three years old."

I heard Dimitri growl at the same time Lissa stomped on my foot.

"You act as if you are half that age," he said coldly. "You need to grow up."

I crossed my arms. "You're an asshole."

Dimitri shrugged. "That's probably true."

We were walking down a narrow hallway, on our way to my bedroom, when a door opened and a man walked out in front of us.

My god.

I think my drool just dribbled onto the floor.

The man was dressed in all black, and he was built like a tank—bulging arms wider than my thighs, broad shoulders, narrow hips, strong legs. He was around six-foot-eight or six-foot-nine. That hair of his was jet-black and looked thick, soft. It went all the way down his back in long waves. The man's facial features were severe, like a fighter's. And his blue eyes seemed to glow.

But that's not what caught my attention.

It was the scar that started at his forehead, went across his nose and cheek, and down his throat that did. He looked scary, dangerous, powerful…menacing.

He was nothing compared to Dimitri, though. No one would ever even come close. I guess love really was blind.

"Dimitri." The man had a thick Italian accent.

"Darius." The two shared a manly hug with hard pats on the back.

"How is the party coming along? Are the caterers here yet?" The man, apparently named 'Darius' said.

"According to Opal, yes. Everything is going as planned."

"Party?" I asked. "What party?"

Dimitri glanced back at the same time Darius's head snapped up, noticing Lissa and I standing there for the very first time.

"Who are these cuties?" Darius asked, smiling brilliantly, staring right at me.

"These _cuties _are Lissa and Rose," Dimitri shot him a real look. "And they are completely off limits, understand?"

"Oh, come on, D…have a little fun. Besides, you know I never follow the rules." his tone was light and teasing.

Dimitri rolled his eyes. "I mean it, Darius. Off limits."

"Fine, fine. Whatever you say, boss." Darius walked over and gently shook my hand. "It is nice to meet you, Rose."

I pulled away. "Yeah, you too."

Darius gave Lissa a brief handshake to be polite. Clearly he wasn't interested in her. It was me that he'd taken a liking to.

"This is my partner." Dimitri explained.

My eyes widened. I looked at Dimitri. "I…uh…I uh, didn't know you swung for that team, Comrade. You really have changed these past couple of years."

The two shared a glance before they busted up laughing.

"Business partner. Dimitri is my business partner. I am his financial advisor." Darius said around his roaring later.

"Oh." I blushed. "Sorry. My bad."

"Ah, well. I got to get back to work." Aftershocks still wracked through Darius's intimidating body. "It was very nice to meet you two. See you around ladies."

After patting Dimitri on the back once, he sauntered off in the opposite direction.

"He's cute." Lissa giggled like a schoolgirl.

"He's hot." I agreed.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Dimitri stiffen.

Moments later, he stopped in front of an oak door. "This is it."

Lissa squealed excitedly.

Dimitri wrapped his hand around the knob and twisted. The door opened silently until it banged lightly against the wall.

"Wow." My jaw hit the floor for the hundredth time today. "It's fabulous. And yes, I just said fabulous."

There was a massive bed in the middle of the hardwood floor. The duvet was the color of snow. I ran my hands along it. Silk. "Nice." I breathed. So many red and blood-red pillows were on the bed that I could swim through them.

The canopy casting a shadow over my bed was blood-red and matched the curtains. The two white couches were in the corner with the same pillows that were on my bed. A nightstand with a lamp and a vase with a single red rose completed my bedroom.

"Do you like it?" Dimitri was staring at me, gauging my reaction.

I couldn't help it.

I ran over and threw myself on him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Dimitri laughed and wrapped his arms around me. He felt like home. "You are welcome, Roza."

I looked into his eyes and melted. They were so intense and so brown. I smiled and brushed my fingertips along his jaw.

But then I realized what I was doing. I was in the arms of the man who'd broken my heart.

"I-I-I'm sorry." I jumped down and smoothed down my shirt. The air around us was thick with awkward tension.

"Well, I must go." Dimitri casually shoved his hands into the pockets of his suit. "What you are to wear tonight is in the closet."

"What do you mean what I am to wear tonight?"

"For the party, of course. See you then, Roza." he said. "Goodbye, Lissa."

"Bye!" she waved enthusiastically. "Thank you for everything. I had lots of fun!"

"Hey, Dimitri?" I called after him.

"Yes?"

"Where's Uncle Victor?"

A slow grin spread across his face. "Enjoying his bedroom."

Happiness swelled in my chest. I smiled. "Uh...thank you. Thank you for everything."

Dimitri nodded. The door shut softly.

Lissa plopped down on the bed and flipped open her cell phone, she smiled and giggled as she stared at the screen.

"Text from Christian?" I guessed, lying beside her.

"Yep. Gotta go." Excitement was evident in her face, she stood up. Her thumbs danced across the buttons as she replied to him. "Wish I could stay, but..." Lissa waved her phone. "I have plans with a certain someone."

I rolled my eyes and gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. "I cannot believe you are leaving me here to face the devil alone. Love you."

"Love you, too." Lissa jumped in the air, squealed, and took off.

I just laid there for a moment, lost in my thoughts.

I couldn't believe how much my life had changed in the past few weeks. Dimitri had come into my life and turned my world upside down. He'd taken everything I'd ever believed in and changed it, just like that, with a snap of his fingers. He'd brought me alive again. He'd lit my whole world on fire.

And I loved it.

But I would never admit that to him. Hell, I hated admitting it to myself.

I sighed, went into my bathroom and turned on the shower. I peeled my clothes off as I waited for the water to heat up.

That's when I noticed a radio in the bathroom.

"Bingo." I turned it on and twisted the knob until I found the first rock station. _Bad reputation_ by Joan Jett spilled in the room. I started dancing and singing along to the beat.

Steam drifted around me, I hopped in. The searing water licked my back and helped loosen up some of the painful kinks in my muscles. I instantly felt myself relaxing.

After scrubbing some lavender shampoo into my hair and shaving my legs, I turned off the water and wrapped a plush white towel around my body.

Curious to see what I had to wear to the party, I trotted over to the closet and slid open the massive doors.

"Wow."

Clothes. Clothes. Clothes. And more clothes.

All brand-new clothes.

Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, Prada, Dior, Versace...

"Damn." I nodded my head approvingly. Dimitri had good taste.

I found what I was supposed to wear to tonight's party immediately, the packaging stuck out like a sore thumb. I read the note that was tapped to the front.

_Be ready at __6:30,_

_Don't be late._

_-D. Belikov_

I glanced at the clock on my nightstand and cursed. I had thirty minutes to get myself looking half decent and get down there.

I ran to my bathroom and tore the brush through my hair. Figuring I didn't have enough time to style it, I pulled it into a tight ponytail at the top of my head and yanked a few strands out, allowing them to frame my face.

I glanced at the clock. Five minutes had gone by.

I threw on some blush, mascara, and strawberry flavored lip gloss. My reflection smiled. I looked good, even when I was in a hurry.

I hopped around my room like a bunny rabbit trying to put on my underwear and bra. Once that was done, I slipped into tonight's party outfit—a skin-tight black strapless dress. I didn't have time to appreciate how good I looked in it because I was already shoving my feet into the black heels.

There was a small, paper bag on a hanger next to where my dress had been. Curious to know what was inside, I picked it up and dumped the contents onto the floor.

Everything sparkled.

Diamonds.

I picked up the bracelet and tied it on my wrist…the diamond necklace and earrings followed.

One glance in the mirror gave me all of the confidence and attitude I needed, plus more. I ran out of my room, heading downstairs.

* * *

><p>"Are you serious?" I groaned, staring at the roll of nametags. "Do I <em>really<em> need to wear one?"

"Yes." Dimitri said sternly, leaving no room for an argument.

"Fine." I scribbled my name down, and stuck it to my chest. "Hey," I noticed there wasn't one on him. "Why aren't you wearing one?"

"This is _my_ party, Rose." Dimitri's eyes gleamed with amusement. "It is not necessary for me to have one."

"Oh, that's right." I snorted. "Everyone already knows who you are. Of course they do. You're the billionaire and they all have to kiss your ass."

"Rose." he warned, shooting me a cruel look. "That sort of language will not be tolerated. This is a very important party with very important people. Do not mess this up."

"Fine, fine." I waved my hands.

He walked towards the doors. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, I am. Just got to take a piss first."

"Such a lady." he mocked, disappearing into the night air. People surrounded him instantly, like moths attracted to the light. I guess he really was the star of the show.

After a quick bathroom break, I stared in the mirror at the nametag that read: Hello, my name is _Rose_.

My reflection grinned mischievously. "Time to have a little fun."

The roll of nametags sat on the table; I ripped one off and quickly scribbled on it with a sharpie. I stuck it to my dress.

I returned to the mirror, laughed, and read the nametag out loud, "Hello, my name is _Dimitri's_ _Bitch_."

I bet the guests were going to get a real kick out of that.

I grabbed a champagne glass from a passing caterer and headed outside to face the crowd.

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for me to get busted.<p>

I tried to mingle with people at the party, but they'd take one look at my nametag, become appalled, and walk away.

"Stupid rich snobs," I muttered, downing a shot of vodka. "They think they're better than everyone else."

Everyone pretty much steered clear of me the rest of the night. They stared at me. Talked about me. Called me harsh names. But honestly, I didn't give a damn.

Apparently, Dimitri had heard the buzz and the gossip that spread like wild fire at the party because he stomped right up to me.

"What is the meaning of this?" he sneered, ripping the nametag from my chest. Fire was burning in his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" My words were slightly slurred—I guess I'd drunk a little more than I originally thought. "That's my name, isn't it? Dimitri's bitch."

Dimitri's hand shot out and gripped my arm. "Don't try anything like this again. Do you understand me?"

"Yep." I hiccupped.

With one last absolutely livid look, he disappeared.

I laughed. "Like that's going to stop me."

I skipped on into the mansion and had a little more fun with the nametags.

Dimitri wasn't happy with me when he found out that I'd used three other names.

Ones like: _Money hungry whore, Dimitri's slave,_ and my personal favorite…_Belikov's #1 hoe._

The last one seemed to _really_ piss him off because he threw me over his shoulder, in front of everyone, and took me to my room. I pounded my fists angrily against his back.

Dimitri shut my bedroom door behind us and set me down.

"What is your problem!" he shoved me against the wall.

"Just trying to have some fun." I hiccupped and broke out in a fit of laughter. "The food and drinks and music may have been great, but I'm sorry…the people were brutal."

"You're drunk." he rubbed his temples.

"And you just figured that out?"

"Listen, Rose. I have to get back to the party. People are waiting for me." Dimitri said. "You just stay here, lay down, relax, and get some rest…okay? _Stay here_."

Dimitri started walking to the door.

"Wait," I called out to him. "Don't leave me. Just stay with me. I don't want to be alone right now."

"I can't, Roza." his voice was strained. "I have to get back down there."

"Can you just lay with me for a little while? Play with my hair." I hiccupped again. "Just stay with me until I fall asleep. Then you can go."

Dimitri stopped and thought about it for a moment. He looked back and nodded." Okay." he whispered.

He helped me into bed. I closed my eyes. I felt his fingers brush down my legs. My heels came off a moment later.

"Ah," I sighed. "That feels so much better. Thank you."

"You're…you're welcome."

He took of my jewelry, placed it on the nightstand, and released my hair from its ponytail.

Dimitri's fingers were pure magic as they wove their way into my hair.

I moaned in approval.

That's when I realized he was still in a sitting position.

"Lay with me." I whispered.

"What?" he seemed startled.

"Lay with me, please." I patted the silk duvet. "Please."

The bed dipped down as it took in his weight. A moment later, I felt him press against me from behind. The warmth of his body enveloped me, better than any blanket in the world.

When Dimitri wrapped an arm around my waist while his other hand stroked my hair, I instantly felt myself drifting off. I pulled him closer to me and closed my eyes. And I was out like a light.

I slept better that night than I had in years.


	4. Chapter 4: Cold hearts

**Authors Note:** I hate to reveal spoilers, but I think this is an acceptation. Victor is the good guy! In this story, he's just the sweet & old uncle that loves his niece very much! So don't worry, he's not going to turn all evil. I promise!

-Breanna

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p><strong>*First half of the chapter is rated M*<strong>

When I floated back into consciousness, everything around me was warm. Really, really warm. It felt like I was basking in the sun…the perfect kind of heat. The temperature that made you relaxed, content…feel good.

My lids flew open.

Immediately, I was met with a sky of perfect brown. Well, it was more like caramel or honey. That was all I could see. Nothing else. It was strangely comforting.

I blinked a few times to get rid of the blurriness. That's when I spotted a scarlet-brown circle. A nipple.

I jerked and sat up.

The person who had been keeping me warm, who had been sleeping next to me, cuddling with me, was Dimitri. He was laying still, undisturbed in his sleep. And he was shirtless.

I screamed. A high-pitched, girlie, glass shattering scream that ached even my own ears. "Oh, my god!"

Dimitri shot up, panicked and alert. His shoulder-length brown hair was a mess from sleep, pieces sticking everywhere. I noticed that he was still wearing the same pants from the suit he'd worn to the party last night. One glance at the floor showed his tie, button-up shirt, and Armani jacket.

He looked so…tempting. I had a head spinning urge to throw myself at him. To make love to him. To claim him as mine.

But I didn't.

With all the self-control I could muster up, I scrambled off the bed and fell straight onto the hardwood floor. I didn't care about the stinging pain in my ass, or the fact that one of my loose heels dug into the skin of my calf. The only thing that I cared about was getting away from him, because I knew that if he so much as touched me, my shred of self-control would snap and I'd be giving into my desires…I would fall prey to his trap. And I knew that was exactly what Dimitri wanted. There was no way I was going to give him that pleasure.

"What is wrong?" Dimitri stood up and closed the two steps that separated us.

I rapidly crawled on hands and knees to the nearest wall. "Stay away from me."

He looked stunned. At six-foot-seven, he towered above me on the ground like a skyscraper. He blinked, surprised. "What is wrong, Rose?" Dimitri demanded. "Have you been hurt? Did you have a bad dream?"

"No, but I woke up to a nightmare." I growled. "What are you doing in my room? In my bed?"

Realization kicked into Dimitri's features, he knew that I didn't want to have anything to do with him, didn't want to be anywhere near him…and he looked angry.

I'd seen him mad like that before when we'd been dating. Believe me when I say that there is nothing in the world like a pissed off Russian.

Dimitri ripped his shirt from the floor and pulled it over his broad shoulders. He started fastening the buttons.

"You asked me to stay with you," he said behind gritted teeth. "Last night after the party, you were so intoxicated that you were unable to walk." He paused, and then added, "Did you know that I lost one of my major clients because of you?"

I shrugged and smoothed out the wrinkles in my black Chanel dress, anything to avoid eye contact with him. "Don't really care. It's none of my concern."

With graceful and powerful strides, Dimitri was suddenly standing in front of me. He crouched down, grabbed my arms, and roughly yanked me to my feet. "It would be your concern if I was planning on using that money to pay your uncles medical bills, now wouldn't it?"

"Ouch! Let me go!" I whimpered in pain and surprise.

When I stared into his brown eyes, they were colder than ice and hotter than a blazing fire at the same time. Fear washed over me. I pushed against his chest, this only caused him to grip harder.

"Please, Dimitri. Let me go. You're hurting me."

"Not until you let me take you." he growled.

My eyes widened as I let out a soft gasp. Something changed in the air. The pain in my arms turned to pleasure. The lust burning between us was nearly overwhelming. My body flushed with want and need, the heat between my thighs searing. The sensitive skin of my breast puckered and tightened.

_Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it...you'll regret it later. _I chanted in my head over and over again.

I might regret it later, but I wanted it so badly right now. And I thought I might go insane if I didn't have it.

My lips smashed against his and I gave into desire.

Dimitri hissed and pulled me hard against his body. His mouth attacked mine, drowned it, with a possessive and savage need. Raw male power radiated off of him as he picked me up and threw me to the bed.

I moaned loudly.

He positioned me so that half of my body was hanging off the bed.

I braced my elbows against the mattress, my stomach pressed to the silk duvet. My feet were flat against the cool hardwood ground; my bottom was up in the air.

"I wish I could make love to you, Roza." The way he rolled his R's made me go mad with desire. "But I do not have the control or patience to be slow with you. I need to take you right now."

"Just do it!" I groaned, curling my toes.

Dimitri roughly pulled my dress up until it reached my ribcage, giving him just enough access. He yanked my underwear down until it rested on my ankles.

We were both breathing heavily.

I heard a zipper.

A knocking sound made us both tense.

"Who is it?" Dimitri yelled, obviously a little displeased that we'd been interrupted.

I on the other hand, was grateful and disbelieving. I was so thankful for that interruption. It was like a slap to the face or a bucket of ice-cold water being dumped on my head…it was a wake up call. What the hell had I been thinking?

What if we had gone all the way? What if we had actually...oh, god. I couldn't even finish that thought. Why was I so stupid sometimes?

"Dimitri? Are you in there?" That feminine, French accented voice asked strangely. "Uh, it's Opal. I have prepared breakfast for Ms. Hathaway."

"Just one moment." he shouted, sounding highly irritated.

Dimitri hurriedly hiked my underwear up my legs and fixed my dress. I turned around just in time to see him put himself back into his pants, pull up his zipper, and buckle his belt.

Man did he look...flustered.

It was funny seeing him like that—all hot and bothered, angry. He was usually so calm and collected. Looking at him now, I knew he was anything but.

"Come in." That one command was a deep rumble in his throat.

Opal trotted in, wheeling a silver tray. Her hair was like liquid sunshine and those eyes were brighter than any ocean. God, even wearing that chef uniform she looked incredible.

She glanced at me, then at Dimitri. Her gaze lingered on him a moment, a suspicious gleam in her eye, and then her stare flared dark blue. She was angry.

Uh-oh.

This was probably the last time I was going to eat her food. God only knows what she might do to it in the future now that she believed Dimitri and I were "sleeping together."

Opal quickly regained her composure and forced a smile. "Good morning, Dimitri. Good morning, Rosemarie."

"Good morning." Dimitri smiled politely. But everything from his rigid posture, to the tightness in his jaw, to the squeak of his teeth grinding together screamed, _'I am fucking pissed off and get the fuck out!'_

Hmm…maybe this wasn't so bad after all. Maybe I could have a little fun with this.

"Mornin' O." I said lazily, hopping on my bed. "Whatcha' got for me? I'm…_starved_. I want some meat, maybe some potatoes. I need something that'll fill me right up. Something that will leave me satisfied."

I shot Dimitri a wicked grin. He cleared his throat and tried to nonchalantly rearrange his pants. I stifled my snort and laughter.

I gazed down at the tray. There was an elegant white cloth underneath everything, a clear vase with a single yellow tulip, a pitcher of OJ, a cup of coffee, fruit, butter, silverware wrapped inside a napkin, and a silver tray.

I inhaled deeply. "Everything smells delicious."

Opal smiled as she lifted the top off the tray. "I made you steak, eggs, and hash browns. Is that okay?"

I nodded, my mouth watering.

"Would you like me to get you anything else?" Opal asked sweetly.

"Uh, no." _Because I'm afraid that you'll put rat poisoning or antifreeze in it and try to kill me._ I silently added to myself. "This is just fine. I'm good."

"Okay," she took a deep breath and gave Dimitri a longing glance. "Enjoy your meal."

Opal closed the door softly behind her.

I grabbed a fork and speared a piece of scrambled eggs. When I scooped it into my mouth, I closed my eyes and moaned. "This is good."

When I opened my lids again, Dimitri was standing there, right in front of me. "How can you be eating at a time like this?"

"Because I'm hungry?" Manners long forgotten, I grabbed the thick steak between my fingers and started chewing on it like a starved animal. It was rare, juicy, and salty—just the way I liked it.

"We need to talk. About what happened."

The steak dropped to the plate, rattling the fork. "There's nothing to talk about. Nothing happened."

"How can you say that?"

I shrugged. "Because that's the way I feel. I just want to forget about it, forget about everything that happened between us and move on."

"So that's it? There's no hope for us? No way that we'll ever get back together?"

"Was that what you hoped to accomplish when you asked me to live with you? Hope that I'd fall back into your arms and forget the pain that you caused me? You need to wake up, Dimitri. That's never going to happen." My voice was rising by the moment. The food was no longer appealing to me.

"Pain I caused you?" he laughed bitterly, those hard eyes bore into mine with an angry passion. "What about the pain that you had caused me? Do you ever think about that? Or are you so caught up in your own feelings that you are unable to think about someone else's?"

"How dare you." I abruptly stood up and got right into his face. It wasn't very intimidating or scary, considering the top of my head didn't even reach his nipples. "How can you say that I caused you pain? You left me, Dimitri!"

His voice was a low and deadly whisper. "Let me make this clear once and for all, I left you because I loved you…because I wanted to make a better life for us. Do you know how excruciating and agonizing I felt when I received your text? It was horrible. Absolutely horrible. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. And then when I found out that your number had been disconnected and there was no way to contact you…" Dimitri shut his eyes and shook his head.

"Do you know how painful it was for me when you left for Russia?" I countered. "I know that I talked to you every night, and that you told me that you missed me and loved me…and couldn't wait until you saw me again. But my insecurities got the best of me...I spent so many nights awake, wondering what you were doing, where you were, who you were with. I kept picturing you with other woman, woman that were prettier than me…woman that you would love more. And I kept picturing you in bed with them, making love to them." I clamped my eyes shut in agony. "I couldn't stand the thought of you cheating on me. I hated to be lied to."

"I never lied to you." Dimitri's Russian accent was incredibly thick. "I was faithful. I was always faithful to you."

I made a weird sound. "I find that hard to believe."

"And why is that?"

"Because you were so far away from me. You could have done whatever you wanted without getting caught."

"I only had eyes for you, baby." His fingers brushed along my cheekbone. "No other woman has held my attention like you have. You were the only one I wanted."

_Were? _My chest constricted.

"Are you sleeping with Opal?" I blurted out.

"What?" Dimitri tensed and dropped his hand.

"Are you having sex with Opal? Be honest. I want to know."

"Yes. I have many lovers."

"Have or _had_?"

"Have." he repeated, looking apologetic and regretful. "You asked me to be honest and I am. I have many lovers."

It would have hurt less if he had shoved a knife through my heart.

The lump in my throat was the size of a baseball and burned like I'd swallowed a jellyfish. "Okay." My knees buckled and I had no choice but to sit down.

"Are you sleeping with Andre?"

"I hardly think that's any of your business." Oh, god. I was starting to hyperventilate. I inhaled through my nose and forced myself to breathe slowly.

"Please, Rose. I am asking that you be honest with me as I have been honest with you." Dimitri crouched and touched my thigh.

I flicked his hand off. "Don't touch me." I growled, bringing a shaky hand to my clammy forehead.

And then I answered his question, just in hopes of bringing him a sliver of the pain he'd brought me this morning. "Yes, I've slept with Andre on several occasions."

Dimitri's eyes went black, his lips lifting into a sneer. With a savage hiss, he slammed his fists against the tray, causing it to bang loudly. I jumped, my heartbeat hammered against my chest.

Wordlessly, he picked up the clear vase with the yellow tulip in it and threw it against the wall. It exploded like confetti, shattered glass shooting in all directions.

I yelped in surprise and fear.

"I have to go. You should get to work." he spat, picking up his jacket and tie. "This is not a charity. You are not living here for free."

I gasped and narrowed my eyes. "How dare you talk to me like that."

"If you don't like it, then leave." he said darkly. "I am not keeping you as my prisoner. You can go. The door is wide open."

"I'll do my damn job because of Victor, and because I'm not a quitter." This made him grin widely. The nerve. I jabbed my finger in his face. "But stay the fuck out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours. Deal?"

"With that attitude," Dimitri said. "I'd be more than happy to comply."

"What goes on between the two of us is strictly business from now on. Got it?"

He frowned. "First of all, don't talk to me like that. This is _my_ home. You are merely a guest. And yes, I have…" he quoted the air. "Got it."

With one last hard glare, he left the room.

I collapsed on the bed and cried my heart out.

* * *

><p>Thankfully, Dimitri hadn't asked me to wear any ridiculous French-maid outfit.<p>

I hopped out of the steaming shower and threw on an old pair of black sweats and a comfy grey t-shirt.

After shoving on some flip-flops, I slipped out of my room and bumped into something hard.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" I snapped, backing up a few steps and tugging on the bottoms of my t-shirt.

"My apologies miss…?" The man had a thick Russian accent.

My head snapped up.

Gosh, were all the men in this mansion absolutely drop dead gorgeous? The man I'd bumped into had to be six-foot-three or six-foot-four with shoulder-length blonde hair and sharp midnight-blue eyes.

"Rose, my name is Rose." I closed my gaping mouth and swallowed hard.

"Ah, such a beautiful name for a beautiful lady." His eyes traveled up and down my baggy and ripped clothes.

I snorted and put up my hand. "Save it, buddy."

I started walking in the opposite direction. "Wait." he grabbed my arm.

I eyed where our bodies connected. "Do you want to keep that hand?"

The man with the heavy Russian accent dropped it immediately. "My name is Ivan."

I narrowed my eyes. "Ivan what?"

He seemed slightly thrown off by my sharp tone. "Ivan Zelkos."

"Ah, yes." I clamped my hands together and spoke in a sugary-sweet sarcastic voice. "You are Dimitri's best friend. The two of you worked together in Russia while he was on that internship." I paused. "I don't like you. Any friend of Dimitri's is an enemy of mine."

He raised a blonde brow as his lips curved into a bemused smirk. "But you hardly know me. How can you say that?"

I shrugged. "It's easy to be a bitch. After awhile, it just comes naturally."

"You shouldn't be so harsh on him, you know."

"Huh?"

"Dimitri," Ivan said, dark-blue eyes staring down at me. "He loves you very much. And the way you are acting towards him now is tearing him up on the inside—although, he won't show it. I know it hurts him."

I grimaced. "Why don't you mind your own business?"

"Dimitri is my best friend. He_ is_ my business."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Look, all I am saying is that he truly does love you. You were all he talked about back in Russia. It was sappy…but I listened to him. And honestly, over these past six years, I'm getting sick of hearing your name. Not to mention the endless search."

My head cocked to the side, curious. "Endless search?"

"Endless search for you." Ivan explained, his voice had an edge to it. "Dimitri has been looking for you ever since you changed your phone number. First it was the phone books, then countless hours on the internet, and then dumping thousands upon thousands of dollars on private investigators." he sighed tiredly. "Somehow, we still couldn't find you. It was like you disappeared off the face of the earth."

I nodded and pursed my lips. "Yep, that's pretty much what I did."

"Anyways, I must get back to work." Ivan smiled and extended his hand. "Mind if we start over? A clean, fresh start? Can we _not_ be mortal enemies?"

Unable to control myself, I smiled and took his offered handshake. "I suppose. But I'm not sure about the last one."

"Fine by me," he winked. "We'll work on it."

Ivan was about halfway down the hall when I called his name.

He turned around. "Yeah?"

"Uh, I'm supposed to be working today. Do you know what I should do first?" God, I sounded so stupid.

Ivan smiled kindly. "Go ask Opal. She works down in the kitchen. She handles everyone's schedules."

I grimaced. "Okay, thanks."

He nodded and disappeared.

I found Opal downstairs in the kitchen, holding a butcher knife.

I tensed and stopped. "Oh, god."

Opal turned around. "Rose is that you? What's wrong?" she set the knife down and wiped her hands with a rag. "You look like you saw a ghost."

I shook my head and forced myself to speak. "Uh, no. I just spoke with Ivan, he said that you would have my schedule?"

"Oh, yes. Of course. Silly me." she tossed the rag onto the counter and went over to a drawer. After a few moments of rummaging through it, she pulled out a blue piece of paper. "Here you go."

I took it. "Thanks."

"You work Monday through Friday." I mentally did a fist-pump. I had the weekends off! "New schedules are put out every week. So make sure you come and get one every Monday."

I nodded. "M'kay. Got it. Thanks again."

"No problem." Opal smiled.

Maybe she wasn't so bad after all. Maybe I had judged her too quickly. She was really sweet. And she did make great food…

No.

That wasn't enough to change my opinion about her. She was still getting it on with Dimitri. And I still hated her guts. She probably felt the same way, too. So I didn't feel bad for hating her so much.

I sauntered out of the kitchen as I studied my schedule, only to stop dead in my tracks. "You have got to be kidding me."

_Monday: Scrub toilets, wash floors on level 2 & 3, Laundry – rooms 7, 10, 16, & 22._

I had to do peoples laundry? "Disgusting." My face scrunched up.

And that's when I remembered that room 22 was the master suite. Dimitri's room.

I had to do Dimitri's laundry? OH. HELL. NO.

I wasn't going to touch anything that belonged to him with a ten-foot pole.

'_I'll do my damn job because of Victor, and because I'm not a quitter.'_

Shit. I'd made a promise. I couldn't back out now.

Biting my tongue and swallowing my pride, I trotted up to room seven which was on the first floor.

And it happened to be Uncle Victor's room.

"UNCLE VICTOR!" I screamed, running and tackling him into a hug.

"Whoa, dear. Someone is a happy camper today, aren't they?" He let out a throaty laugh.

I pulled back and looked at him. He was even healthier than before. He'd gained back all the weight he'd lost over the years, plus more. Probably because all the food he'd been eating since he'd started spending time with Dimitri. The two had a love for Russian food. Apparently, Opal was good at making that too.

"How was your doctor's appointment?"

"Wonderful, just wonderful. Dr. Greene is so sweet. She made me feel right at home." he smiled. "They ran a couple of cat scans and blood tests. When Dr. Greene came back into the room with those X-rays and told me that the Sandovsky's cell growth had minimized…" he shook his head. The look in his eyes made me want to burst out in tears. "I was so overjoyed that I skipped on back to the car."

I laughed.

"Although I know my battle with the disease is far from over, I have new hope, Rosemarie. I want to live a long, healthy life. I want to live to see my grandchildren." I sucked in a breath when he said that. I was the only family he was close to. I knew that it meant he considered me as his daughter and he wanted me to pop out a few babies.

Oh, lord. It was time to find a stud…

"Life is great, isn't it dear?" Uncle Victor let out a delightful laugh and opened his arms.

I hugged him and laid my head against his chest. I thought about how blessed we'd been with his successful surgeries, improving health, and how Dimitri had come back into my life. If it wasn't for him, none of this would have been possible. He was like Superman in disguise.

I sighed. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Uncle Victor pulled back and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"So how do you like your new room?" There was a basket filled with dirty clothes in the corner of the room. I grabbed it, assuming that was the first step in doing laundry. I really didn't know. I'd never done it before. _Fluff and fold _is what kept clean clothes flowing to Victor and I in my old apartment.

He grinned so widely I thought it my split his face in half. "Do you really have to ask that?" his face glowed with happiness.

I chuckled as I balanced the basket on my hip. "I suppose not. Oh, god. Uncle Victor! Get down!"

"Why?" he jumped up and down on the bed. "Because I'm old and you're afraid I'll break a hip?"

"Exactly!" I shouted, marching over to the edge of the bed. "Get down now. Before I come up there and take you down myself."

Uncle Victor abruptly fell flat on his back, he started moving his arms up and down on the blankets, as if he was making a snow angel. "I feel sixteen again! Did you know that I beat Dimitri in Call of Duty: Modern warfare 2 last night? Never even touched an Xbox 360 before. And I still beat him."

I snorted. "Good for you. Good for you. Now, I gotta go. Stay out of trouble and no more jumping on the bed."

"No promises, dear."

* * *

><p><em>I shoved the last of the funnel cake into my mouth.<em>

_Dimitri's lips twitched. "How considerate of you."_

_I glanced down at the empty plate. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want some?" I swirled my fingertips along the plate, gathering powder sugar. "Here." I flicked it in his face. Little white dots covered his tan skin._

_I busted up laughing as Dimitri grabbed a napkin and cleaned it up. "Why did you even ask me on a date?"_

_My good mood vanished and my attitude came back. "Because I want to get into your pants?"_

"_We could have done that back at the _Jiu jitsu Palace. _Up against the wall." There was a mocking gleam in his eye. I could see it even though we were in the dark, in a deserted park, near the black forests edge. "After all, my body was made for fucking. It could have been quick. Over with. And we'd be out of each others systems."_

_I gaped and abruptly got up. "You're an arrogant jerk! I can't believe I even asked you to come here. Just...just forget I ever did. And then we can go back to hating each other. Because that's what we do best."_

_I picked up my purse and threw it over my shoulder._

"_Where are you going?" Dimitri stood from the wooden bench. _

"_Home." I said. "I need to get away from you. Far away from you."_

_I marched in the opposite direction._

"_Let me walk you to your car. It's the least I can do."_

_I shot him a haughty look over my shoulder. He was following less than ten feet behind me. "Oh, believe me. You've done enough tonight."_

"_I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Rose." Dimitri said softly. "I need to stay away from you. You don't want me to complicate your life. It's better that we don't get involved. I am your teacher. You deserve someone better than me. A man that will take care of you and love you."_

_I gritted my teeth and continued to walk. "What if I said that I wanted you?"_

"_Then I'd say that you were stupid and naive."_

_I laughed bitterly as I angrily searched for my keys. "Maybe I am."_

"_Rose, wait. Just hear me out." Dimitri pleaded. "I am-wait! Watch out!"_

_It was already too late._

_I hadn't even seen it coming. I'd been too distracted with the man behind me._

_My shins banged against something hard and I went flying forward…straight into the parks water fountain. _

_When I emerged from the icy cool water, drenched from head to toe, I realized that Dimitri was in the fountain with me…just as soaked. He was the one who had pulled me out so quickly. _

"_Are you okay?" he shook me, his face was full of concern._

_A giggle escaped my mouth. And then another. And another…_

_I was soon in hysterics, clutching my stomach with tears streaming out of my eyes._

"_What's so funny?" Dimitri cracked a smile._

"_I-I-I," I laughed even harder. "I fell in, then you jumped in…a-a-a and now were all wet!" _

_He took one more look at me before he cracked._

_We laughed so hard that we had to lean against each other, hug each other._

"_Oh, my god! Stop! I can't breathe!" I gasped. "My stomach hurts."_

_Five minutes later, we were finally able to gain our composure. For some unknown reason, the both of us were still sitting in the freezing water._

_I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and giggled. "It's ruined."_

_Dimitri smiled as he pulled out his wallet. "Ruined." He dumped the soggy bills, they sunk to the bottom._

"_Looks like your hoes will have to work extra hard tonight to make you some extra money."_

_He didn't laugh at my joke. _

_There was a heat and passion in his dark eyes that made me gasp. I'd only seen it once before…when he'd accidentally walked in on me getting dressed in the _Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Palace's_ bathroom._

_Dimitri's gaze flickered to my lips._

_Before I knew what was happening, he'd pulled me into his arms and crushed his lips to mine. I threw my arms around his neck as he covered his body with mine and lowered me further into the water. _

_I didn't feel the rocks digging into my back, or the freezing temperature of the water…I only felt Dimitri's large hands caressing my body, consuming it. _

_This was our first kiss. And definitely the best one I'd ever had._

The sound of the dryer beeping brought me out of my daydream. With a loud sigh, I rubbed the sweat from my forehead with my t-shirt before throwing all of the clothes into the basket.

Opal smiled and clapped her hands. "Great job! How was your first day?"

"Completely boring and my feet are killing me." I started matching the socks. "All I want to do is jump in the shower and go to sleep."

Her forehead creased. "Aren't you coming to dinner?"

"Depends on what you're cookin'."

Opal's trademark enthusiastic smile came back. "Filet Mignon, lobster, asparagus, and red wine. And for desert, I'm making red-velvet cake. It's Dimitri's favorite."

"Oh, Opal." I patted her back. "You had me at Filet."

I placed the basket on my aching hip. "Okay, I have to go drop this off, take a shower, and then I'll be down. What time is dinner?"

"Forty-five minutes."

"Perfect. See ya then."

After showering the days hard work and sweat off, I slipped into a pair of jeans and comfy but sexy Dolce and Gabbana top. I was too exhausted to get all dolled up, so I threw my hair into a bun and headed down stairs. It was funny how familiar I was with this mansion. I'd been here less than forty-eight hours and I already knew the place like the back of my hand.

Dinner was okay. The food was great, and so was Opal, Ivan, and Darius...but having Dimitri there wasn't. He didn't even spare me a second glance the entire night. And I hated being ignored. But seeing that hard look on his face broke my heart. Had he really given up on me? Thrown in the towel?

That made me furious.

When I finally collapsed in bed that night, my dreams were filled with him.


	5. Chapter 5: Forgive but don't Forget

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p><strong>Rated T for strong language. <strong>

**One month later…**

**DPOV: **

I ran a frustrated hand through my hair as I growled and threw the papers down. I pushed the button on the phone that connected to my assistant. The familiar buzz sounded right before she spoke, "What do you need, Mr. Belikov?" That sugary sweet voice only made my headache worse. As Roza would put it, I was so sick of people kissing my ass.

"You gave me the wrong files, Tasha." I tried to keep the irritation out of my voice but it didn't work. Everything coming out of my mouth was a frustrated growl. I hadn't been able to catch any sleep the past few weeks, I wasn't eating right, I'd just found out that one of my former employees was stealing company money, and to top it all off, I was in the process of closing down one of my hotels in Germany.

I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I sighed. It had been a fucked up year so far, and things didn't seem like they were going to get better anytime soon.

"B-b-b but you wanted Mr. Hemingway's and Miller's report right? I gave that to you."

"You gave me Hemingway's and Meyer's." I said flatly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm pretty goddamn sure. The folder is in front of me with the name Meyer at the top. M-E-Y-E-R. So if you are done asking me whether I can read correctly or not, can you bring Miller's damn file? And can you hurry it up? The meeting is in forty-five minutes."

There was a moment of stunned silence.

"Hello?" I snapped. "Are you there?"

"Uh, uh. Yes, of course Mr. Belikov. I apologize for my mistakes. I will bring the report in immediately." Tasha paused. "Can I get you more coffee? A bagel?"

"Coffee, Black. Thanks." I slammed the phone down before she could say anything else.

From across the room, Ivan and Darius busted up laughing.

"Damn man, look at you. You need to get laid." Darius shook his head, his Italian accent was thick, much like it always was.

"What is wrong, brother?" Ivan asked.

"Everything."

The two men shared a glance, before turning back to me with grins on their faces. "It's that damn female, ain't it?"

I leaned back in my leather chair, hearing it squeak in protest from my weight. "I have no clue what you are talking about."

Ivan shook his head as he leaned over a pile of papers, he wrote something down with a red pen, and then highlighted it. "Her name starts with an_ R_ and ends with an _OSE_."

"You need to get over that female. Face it, she doesn't want you." Darius said.

"Fuck off."

"You screwing her man?"

"No." I leaned over my desk, studying the papers again. It was like snow. They were everywhere.

Ivan barked out a laugh. "That didn't sound like no. It sounded more like _No, but I really fucking want to_."

I shrugged. "Of course I do. But that's not something I need to focus on right now. What I need to focus on is that goddamn file. TASHA!"

"Coming, coming!" She burst through the doors, a plate with a bagel in one hand, a mug in the other, and the yellow file pinched between her teeth. "Sorry. Sorry. I didn't have anywhere to put it!" Tasha set the bagel and coffee on my desk. I walked over and pulled the folder out of her mouth.

"Thanks." she smiled.

I smiled back dryly. "No problem."

I was shuffling through the papers, sipping on the black coffee, when I felt the weight of her gaze on my face. "Is there anything you need?" I asked, not lifting my eyes.

"No."

"Okay. Well if you don't mind..."

"Of course, of course. Sorry." I heard her heels clinking against the tile. "Is there anything you boys would like?"

"Can you get me a blueberry muffin, baby?" Darius asked, gently grabbing her hand. "Because I really, really love muffins. Oh, and a glass of milk too." He placed a kiss to her knuckles.

Having finally gotten the attention she was craving for, Tasha lit up like a Christmas tree.

Darius was a player. I hadn't seen anything like him in all my years. He called it a gift. He'd charm a woman, make her feel beautiful, amazing, get what he wanted...and then leave her. I didn't care for his ways or how he treated women...it was none of my business.

Well, unless he tried to chase after Roza. Then I would make it my goddamn business.

Blushing and smiling, Tasha quickly exited the room.

"You really shouldn't do that."

"Do what?" Darius grinned.

"Do that." I pointed to the door that had just closed behind Tasha. "She is my assistant and secretary. The last thing I need right now is a scorned lover in my office."

Ivan cracked a smile.

Darius barked out a laugh. "Scorned? _Scorned?_ That girl will be so fucking pleased once I'm done with her that she won't remember her own name."

I shook my head. "Whatever. Do what you must. But if she comes in here screaming your name and swinging a bat," I pointed at Darius. "You're the one who is stopping her. Alone."

Tasha came in with a tray. Darius shot me a triumphant smile as he took it from her. "Thank you, cutie."

She nibbled on her bottom lip. "You're welcome."

Darius bit into the muffin, closed his eyes, and moaned. "So warm and sweet. Did you bake this yourself?"

Tasha nodded. "Yes...I, uh...made them from scratch this morning."

"These are so damn good. You make more of these and I'll do whatever you ask." Darius mumbled, finishing off the muffin. "Ah, Natasha...you sure do know how to make a man happy."

She beamed.

He squished the wrapper, tossed it into the trashcan, and turned to face her with a wicked expression. "Hey cutie, would you like to know why they call me the muffin man-"

"That's enough." I stood up and ushered Tasha out.

I slid Darius and Ivan a glance. "Get back to work."

A few hours later, I was putting the last of the files away and shutting off my computer. Tasha had already gone home for the day, Ivan and Darius were shuffling around my office, eager to get back to their rooms.

"You two can go now."

"Can I put in the order for dinner tonight? Come on, it's my turn and you know it." Darius said.

I waved my hands. "Yeah, whatever. I don't care."

He let out a sound of victory and fist pumped the air. "Alright, see ya later boss." Darius walked out the door with some pep in his step.

Ivan rolled his eyes and walked over to my desk. "Are you okay, brother?"

"I'm fine." I massaged my aching eyes.

"You look tired as hell. You should get some sleep. Better yet, you should get laid."

"You know that's not going to happen anytime soon." I turned off the lights in my office and locked the doors.

"And why the hell not?" Ivan asked as we walked to the gym. "Just because that Rose chick is here, doesn't mean she has to be a cock blocker. Sneak behind her back, be discreet about it, she'll never know and you'll be satisfied. No offense, but you've been kind of a dick lately."

"Don't talk about Rose like that," We went into the gym and made our way to the locker room. "That pisses me off. I won't deal with you disrespecting her like that."

"I didn't do anything disrespectful," Ivan pulled his work t-shirt over his head. "Now had I said something like: Oh, that bitch has a tight ass and some perky tits and real dick sucking lips…" He laughed uneasily at the look I gave him. "That would have been disrespectful. All I said about her was that she's stopping you from getting shagged."

"Exactly," I changed into a black turtle neck and sweats. "Don't talk about my girl like that. Don't even think about her. Understand?"

"Last time I checked, Rose wasn't your girl."

I grabbed the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the wall a few times. "I'm fucking warning you, Ivan. Don't start with me."

"Alright, alright man. Relax." I released him. "Fuck, what is wrong with you?"

"I don't know." I turned on the radio full blast to cut off anymore conversation.

After running seven miles on the treadmill, doing two-hundred chin ups, and sparring with Ivan, I picked up the bottle of water and chugged it down.

"You ready to head out?" Ivan dabbed the sweat from his forehead with a towel.

I nodded. "Yeah. See you at dinner."

Ivan grabbed my arm. "Look man, about what I said earlier…I'm sorry. I had no right."

I smiled, a little. "Don't worry about it," I shook his hand and gave him a hard pat on the back. "Just don't ever do it again."

"Understood. I won't talk about Rose anymore."

"Speak of the devil…" I muttered, seeing Roza walk by, on the other side of the mansion. Her hair was tangled and pulled into a messy ponytail at the top of her head. The jeans she was wearing were ripped and that white t-shirt was covered in dirt. But none of that mattered. God, she looked…beautiful.

"Oh dear lord, you are whipped." Ivan shook his head and grinned widely.

Roza's face was contorted with anger as she opened a bottle of Pine sol and waved it around in the air, splashing the liquid everywhere.

"What the hell is she doing?" Ivan asked.

I shrugged and chuckled. "I have no clue. I think she may be washing the floors…"

She grabbed a towel out of her bucket, threw it on the ground, and started scrubbing.

"I can feel your eyes on me!" she shouted. "Don't you guys have anything better to do?"

"This is about as good as it gets, baby." Darius ran down the stairs and joined us.

She gave him the finger.

Ivan and Darius laughed and whistled. "You've got it going on," Darius called out. "I like a girl with a little bit of fire in her."

"How would you like my foot up your ass?"

"I like to get freaky in the bedroom too. If that's what you're into, baby, I'm cool with it."

"Would you be cool with me cutting off your dick in the middle of the night while you're sleeping?"

That shut him up. He paled a couple of shades.

Roza turned around and smiled wickedly. "Didn't think so, buddy. Now let me get back to work."

"Dinner is ready in twenty minutes." Opal came out of the kitchen wearing her chef's outfit, holding a spatula.

"What are we having?" I asked.

Opal's smoldering blue eyes turned to me. I didn't miss the flash of desire and anger in them. I assumed she was upset that I hadn't asked her to come to my room in months. "To get started, some soup and salad. Red wine. Lamb chops with mint pesto and asparagus. And for desert, fruit and chocolate dipping sauce." Her French accent was unusually thick with a tinge of resentment, confirming what I had expected.

"That's my girl." Darius draped a beefy arm around her shoulder. "Not only does the quality and taste of her Italian food come close to my mothers cooking, she makes great Lamb chops. Quiet possibly the best I've ever had."

She blushed and smiled. "Stop it!"

"No, I'm being serious." Darius said. "They are _molto__ squisito_."

"Dimitri, are you ready for dinner or do you have to do something first?" Opal shot Roza a distasteful look.

I narrowed my gaze. "Shower. I'll be there when I'm ready."

"Fine."

While the three of them went upon their own business, I walked over to Roza. "Dinner is almost ready."

She picked up the towel and threw it into the bucket. "I know. I heard them." she said tightly.

"Are you coming?"

"No. I'm going to starve to death."

"I'll see you there."

"Yes, you will."

I ran up the stairs to take a shower.

As the water scorched my skin and the constant hum enveloped my ears, I was left alone to my thoughts.

_I hopped out of the taxi and leaned in the window. "How much?" I asked in my native tongue, Russian. _

"_Twenty-four." I quickly handed him the cash, he sped off into the night._

_I glanced to my left where the city was. After a fair amount of squinting, I was able to make out Saint Basil's Cathedral, one of my favorite parts of Russia. It was beautiful, but it also made me homesick. Which I found ironic, considering that I was in Russia._

_My internship was in Moscow, about a ten hour flight from Baia. Because of the distance and obligations I had to my job, I hadn't been able to travel and see my family yet._

_God, I missed them so much._

_I took the elevator up to my small apartment and locked the door behind me. I checked the message machine. Nothing. That was odd. Roza usually called everyday. _

_I shrugged and didn't think anything of it._

_After giving Roza's picture a quick kiss, I dropped my keys and headed for a shower._

_Once I'd finished eating dinner and completing the spread sheets for work the upcoming day, I collapsed on my bed from exhaustion. _

_As I lay there, I thought of my family and Roza. The only people I needed in this world to survive. They meant so much to me. I don't what I'd do if anything happened to them. I shuddered at the possibilities._

_Roza popped into my mind, and I had an overwhelming urge to hop on a plane and go back to America. Back to where I was needed most._

_I loved my family, but I knew they were okay and happy. They had each other to depend on, and the love flowing through that house was nearly suffocating. They were fine. _

_I wasn't so sure about Roza, though._

_Sure, she had Lissa...but that was pretty much it. I wasn't there to comfort her, to hold her in my arms, to love her. And I needed to be. _

_The recent calls we had were so different from our usual conversations. Roza sounded so off…so distant. It had me concerned. I was thinking about her every minute of the day._

_I sat up as a thought suddenly came to me. _

_Forget being here. Forget Russia. Forget this damn internship. This wasn't for me. I was going back to America, where my home was. Roza was my home. My safe haven. And I needed her so badly right now. _

_I smiled. "I'm going back home."_

_I needed to call Roza and tell her the news. She'd be so happy. _

_I was ecstatic to see her. I'd get to hold her in my arms again, see her beautiful face, and that smile that could light up the whole town._

_The beep of my phone snapped me out of my reverie. I grabbed it out of my pocket. It was a text from an unknown number. _

_My smile vanished when I read the text._

Can't do this anymore. It's over. – Rose

_A wave of dread came over me, followed by shock. I searched through my contacts, found Roza's number, and pressed send. I held it up to my ear._

"_The number you have dialed has been disconnected or may no longer be in service—" The phone slipped out of my hand and dropped to the floor._

_Somehow, I managed to sit down. I didn't feel anything. I was numb._

_What the hell had just happened? _

_I tried calling Roza back at least twenty more times in a row, getting the same phone operators message. _

_I read the text again._

_And that's when realization settled in._

"_No, no, no, no!" I shoved my fists into the wall over and over again. Blood was all over the white paint and my hands but I didn't feel a lick of pain._

_Hours later, I collapsed on the floor from exhaustion. My body felt hollow and the pain in my chest was excruciating. It literally felt like someone had stabbed me in the heart repeatedly. _

"_Rozaaaaaaa." I hissed, clenching my broken, swollen, and bloody hands. _

_She'd left me at a time I needed her most._

_God, the woman I loved most on this earth, the woman who meant more to me than life itself, had left me. _

_I screamed my lungs out to release my fury._

* * *

><p><strong>RPOV:<strong>

I dropped my yellow rubber gloves on Dimitri's desk. "I can't do it."

He stood up and crossed his arms. "Pardon me?"

"I quit."

"You quit?" To my absolute fury and annoyance, his lips twisted into a small smile.

"That's right." I crossed my arms, not caring that I was mimicking his stance.

It was comical how much we were alike. Dimitri and I were like two raging bulls, put us in a pin and we're going to but heads.

"I can't do this anymore."

"Care to tell me why that is?"

I stuck my finger out and counted off the reasons why. "Number one: Cleaning this mansion is a bitch. Number two: I'm sweating bullets right now. Number three: My back is killing me from scrubbing the floors. Number four: Strangers laundry. Dirty underwear. Number five: Where the hell have you been? And why the hell are you ignoring me?"

"That was two questions in one number. I don't believe that is fair."

I growled. "I'm being fucking serious."

"Yes, I know that. This is a rare opportunity. I apologize." Dimitri's face grew serious.  
>"Please leave. We need a moment alone."<p>

I turned around to see Ivan and Darius stand up. I hadn't even noticed them there. I guess that I did storm in Dimitri's office in a blinding rage. It probably didn't help that I shoved and screamed at the raven-haired secretary either.

"Of course, boss." Darius patted Dimitri's back, his lip curled unnaturally from his scar as he smiled at me. Ivan simply nodded and the two of them exited the room.

Once the doors were shut, Dimitri turned around to face me. His hands were stuffed into the pocket of his jeans and his gaze was trained on the floor. Oh, boy. Dimitri avoiding eye contact? Bad sign.

I braced myself for what was coming next.

"Look, Rose. I want to be honest with you and I hope you are being honest with me." he paused. "I am in love with you. There. I admitted it. I am so goddamn in love with you. Every time I see you my chest tightens and I have difficulty breathing. But the thing is, I've been watching you at a distance these past few weeks and getting reports from my staff…and, and…they all say that you look miserable—"

I waved my hands to cut him off. "Just…stop. I know where you're going with this. Let me finish for you." My voice was colder than ice. "Rose, this isn't working out. You're fired. Pack up your bags. Leave, get out. This was all a big mistake. Blah Blah. Blah. Blah. I got it already, okay? I'm leaving." I blinked away the tears. No way in hell I was showing him how weak I was in that moment. He'd just given up on me…a second time. I was broken. There was no reason to try and mend me.

Once I got to my room, I was going to pack my bags, break down and cry, and then leave. Simple as that. I'd get better over time. I hoped…

"Actually," Dimitri stepped right in front of me, blocking my path to the door. I sneered, having the urge to beat the hell out of him. "I was going to ask you if you wanted a break. You know, go have a little fun—away from this mansion. Go out for a drive or something. You can choose any car you'd like—"

"The Ferrari."

Dimitri grimaced and nodded reluctantly. "I was hoping you'd choose any car but that one. She's my baby. You have to promise me that you'll be extra careful with her."

I threw my arms around him and hugged him, hard. "I promise, Comrade." I breathed against his chest. "Thank you."

My hand was on the doorknob when he called my name. "Yeah?"

"Hold on," Dimitri said. "Just let me grab my coat."

I spun around. "Whatttttttttttttt?"

He smiled. My heart skipped a beat. "You didn't actually think I'd let you go alone, did you?"

I pondered that thought for a moment, and groaned. "No."

When Dimitri turned around to grab his duster off the coat rack, I flung open the door and booked it towards the garage.

A few moments later, I heard his pursuing footsteps.

I pushed my screaming legs to go faster.

"Where do you think you're going?" Dimitri asked playfully. "You're not trying to get away from me, are you?"

"Yeahhhh!" I laughed, slamming the kitchen doors open.

I nearly knocked Opal over when I smashed into her. "Whoops. Sorry girl! Gotta go!"

"It's okay!"

I had just reached the garage door when Dimitri's arms encircled around my waist and captured me.

I screamed and giggled.

"I've got you." He whispered in my ear.

This only made me laugh harder.

Still holding me with one arm, he used the other to open the garage door and grab the keys off this shelf thing that held about a dozen other keys.

He handed me a single key. It was red at the top and had the Ferrari horse symbol on it.

"Thanks."

"No problem." Dimitri set me down. I immediately felt the loss and shamefully wished that he'd hold me again.

He slid into the passenger seat.

I hopped into the drivers' side and stuck the key into the ignition. "This baby is beautiful." I smoothed my hand over the cool leather.

"Yeah, she is. Now buckle up."

I quickly pulled on the strap and turned the key. The engine roared to life.

"WOW!" I shouted. "This is amazing!"

I put the car in reverse and started backing out of the driveway.

"Be careful!" Dimitri cringed as I nearly hit one of his Harleys.

"Sorry." I sharply turned the wheel, avoiding his precious toys just in time.

"Goddamn it, Rose." Dimitri let out a breath of relief and sagged back into his seat.

I gave him a sidelong glance. "You look like you're going to be sick."

"I feel like it."

"Well if you're going to blow chunks, blow chunks out your window. If they get anywhere near me…" I shuddered. I punched in the twenty-one digit security code and waited as the massive iron gates creaked open.

"Ah, yes. You are a sympathetic vomiter. How could I forget?"

"Hey! That was one time! And that little girls throw up was blue."

I pulled the car onto the road and gazed at the sea of green trees and Montana forest. The weather was perfect this time of year so I rolled my window down and let the warm, summer air blast my hair and face.

"Too much cotton candy." Dimitri murmured.

I laughed at the memory of our first time at a carnival.

"I can't believe you remember that," I shook my head in disbelief. "It was so long ago."

"I remember everything about our time together, Roza." My heart thumped loudly in my chest.

I smiled sadly. "Yeah, me too. Unfortunately."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Dimitri stiffen. "Unfortunately?"

I shrugged. "It hurts to remember what we had, Dimitri. It's like putting salt on wounds. Sometimes I wish I could forget. Forget everything."

He didn't bother masking the hurt in his voice. "I would never wish for that. I'd rather think of the good times we had together, smile, and deal with the pain. Because it's worth it."

"I, uh, I…I don't want to talk about this right now."

Dimitri sighed in exasperation. "You always take the easy route. You can't avoid it forever, Rose. We're going to have to talk about this one day. I want to know where we stand."

I pressed my foot down on the gas petal as I gripped the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white. "You want to know where we stand, Dimitri? Right here. Right here is where we stand."

"We're sitting down." he mocked.

I growled. "You're my boss and I'm your employee. That's all. The road ends there. Stop trying to make our situation more than it is."

He arched an eyebrow. "I don't let just any of my employees drive my cars. So obviously, you mean more to me than that. I'm not sure the feeling is mutual though."

"It's not."

"Good." He snapped, turning on the radio. "I'm glad we've made that clear."

I immediately felt regretful and guilty for hurting him. I'd had no right.

No matter how much I disliked Dimitri, no matter how much I was angry at him for leaving me, what he was doing for me now was truly generous. And what was he getting in return? Nothing. I had given him nothing.

I needed to realize that the past was the past and nothing was going to change it. I needed to accept the fact that Dimitri and I were completely different from the people we'd been six years ago. We'd changed, grown older, suffered from heartache and loss.

Dimitri had obviously moved on and I needed to too. It was time for a fresh start, a new beginning. And maybe, just maybe, I could ease up on Dimitri and be less of a bitch to him. Maybe.

Without taking my eyes off the road, I placed my hand over his and gave a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry."

His whole body went rigid. "What?"

"I'm sorry."

There were a few heavy moments of silence before he spoke again. "Thank you."

I reached forward and turned up the music.

Oh, for the love of god. It was the song. _Our_ song. "Everything" by Lifehouse.

But instead of being a coward and running away like I always did, I took a deep breath and embraced the raw memories. Listening to that song, with Dimitri beside me, his hand under mine, was almost worth the pain.

* * *

><p>Hours later, the Ferrari zoomed into the mansion's driveway. Turning to Dimitri, I offered him a small smile. "Thanks."<p>

He brushed a few strays of dark hair from his eyes. "For what?"

"Everything. For everything."

Being the selfish and masochistic bitch that I was, I slowly brought my hand up and ran my fingertips along the top of his head.

"You're welcome." Dimitri froze on the spot, letting me touch him. I think he was afraid that I would suddenly snap back to my senses and push him away again.

If only he knew.

Right now, in this moment, pulling away from him was the last thing I wanted to do.

I smoothed my hand down his head, along the back of his neck, and gently pulled on the tie, releasing his hair. It fell and touched his shoulders.

"Your hair is beautiful." I ran my fingers through the dark mass and gently grabbed two fistfuls. "It smells so good and it feels like silk."

"You used to love it." Dimitri smiled a little. "You'd play with it for hours. You'd soothe me to sleep. And when we made love…" He let silence and memories speak for themselves.

I giggled. "Sorry. I get lost in the moment and I like to tug and pull."

"I didn't complain." He grinned wickedly. "Not one bit."

Dimitri grabbed my hand, kissed the inside of my palm, and pressed it to his cheek. He closed his eyes in agony. "You always feel like you're a million miles away."

"What?"

He kept his eyes shut. "Ever since I saw you that first time two months ago, you've been so distant. You've got that far away look in those brown eyes like you're afraid to get close to anyone. Whenever you're near me, you may be standing right in front of me, but it's like you're a million miles away, it's like you're not there."

"I'm here now."

"Yes, I know that. This is the first time you've allowed me to get this close to you—emotionally and physically. If feels just, I don't know…good. It feels good."

"I know something that will feel better." Before he could respond, I leaned over and my lips were on his. It was hungry, needy, and almost savage.

Before long, I couldn't stand being so far away from him. Without breaking lip contact, I unbuckled my seatbelt, climbed over to Dimitri, and straddled him.

He groaned in approval and gripped my backside. I ground my hips against his, we both moaned.

I pulled back for oxygen and rested my forehead against his. "That was…That was…"

"Extraordinary."

I smiled. "Yes, it was…extraordinary."

My head tilted back as Dimitri placed a trail of blazing kisses down my neck.

"I don't want this moment to end," He murmured against my skin, goose bumps arose. "I wish that I could freeze us right now and stay here forever."

I smiled blissfully. God, I never wanted it to end either.

"I want to do something else," I whispered. "I don't want the day to be over yet."

"Name it. It's yours."

"I wanna go to the zoo."

He chuckled. "I've got to be honest, Roza…I didn't see that one coming. But okay, let's go to the zoo. Are you driving?"

"Actually, I was hoping you would." Unable to help myself, I crushed my lips against his. This kiss was more slow, sweet, loving, careful, and thorough. Dimitri cupped my face when I pulled back. "Wait. I didn't get a good enough taste."

His pink tongue whipped out and darted inside my mouth. I gasped in surprise from the sudden intrusion of my body. Dimitri took one big lick before falling back into his seat, breathless, and leaving me wanting so much more.

"You're a tease."

Dimitri groaned. "Have I ever told you how exquisite you are?" He wet his red and swollen lips. "You taste like strawberries and cream."

I squeezed my eyes shut. "Get in that seat now and drive. Before I do something I'll regret."

"I don't know if I'm in the right, uh, _situation _to stand up right now…"

My eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "Why, what's wrong? Did I crush your legs or something? Come on, Comrade, I may be heavy…but I ain't _that_ heavy."

His hips suddenly thrust up and collided with mine. I gasped. "Oh…I see what your problem is."

Dimitri cleared his throat harshly, as if he was embarrassed.

I laughed. "I don't care. Just get driving. Has a boner ever stopped you before, Comrade? No. So suck it up and soldier on."

He cursed in Russian as he lifted me off him and stepped out of the Ferrari. "I know something you can suck…" he muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

* * *

><p>"Oh, my god! Oh, my god! Oh, my god! Oh, my GODDDDD!" I screamed, jumping up and down. "Dimitri get a picture of me with the ostrich!"<p>

He laughed as he held the camera up. "Smile."

"I am smiling."

"Just a little bit wider…ah. Good. Okay."

"My cheeks hurt."

"That means you're doing it right." The light flashed.

Suddenly, I felt something hit the top of my head. "Ouch!" I spun around. "Ohmigod. The damn ostrich pecked me-_hey!_ That's mine!"

I reached over the fence but the ostrich was already across the muddy field, running back to his nest or wherever the hell he lived.

I looked at the empty cone in my hand and frowned. "That bastard stole my cotton candy."

Dimitri's lips were pursed tightly and his eyes gleamed. "Come on. I'll buy you another one."

He started to put the camera away but I stopped him. "Wait. Did you get a picture of me and Big O? I still can't believe that motherfu—"

Dimitri nodded his head and chuckled, the sound was rich like chocolate and smooth like velvet. It was wonderful.

He handed me the camera. I laughed as I studied the small screen. "You got it right when that thief pecked me on the head!"

"Yes, I did." Dimitri reached for my hand. "Now, come on. Let's get a churro, or a slushie, or whatever you want."

"You shouldn't say that when you're regarding food, Dimitri." I laced my fingers through his as we started walking, feeling that amazing fullness return to my body.

I glanced up at him as he arched a brow. "Say what?" he asked.

"That you'll buy me whatever food I want."

"And why not?"

"Because I eat…_a lot_. I could empty your accounts."

Dimitri threw his head back and laughed, low and hearty and deep in his throat.

"That's fine. I'd be a happy man in debt knowing that the woman I love had a full belly and a smile on her face."

_The woman I love. _My heart jumped out of its ribcage and into my throat. I was floating in the clouds in that moment. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could take away my happiness and blissfulness.

* * *

><p>I held the stuff giraffe close to my chest as Dimitri and I walked through the pharmacy.<p>

"Photo development is over there." I pointed to the giant yellow sign.

"Yes, I can see that." Dimitri handed the lady behind the counter the memory card to his camera.

I was bobbing my head to the music when she told us that it was going to be fifteen minutes before they were ready to pick up.

I grabbed Dimitri's hand and dragged him towards the food aisle. "Come on. Let's get some snacks and drinks."

He didn't bother hiding his satisfied grin. "Why would we need snacks and refreshments?"

I looked down at the ground. "Because, uh, maybe I'd like to watch a movie with you tonight…"

He tilted my head up with his fingers. Dark brown eyes pierced mine. "Maybe?"

I socked his arm. "Oh, don't look so damn smug! It's just a movie." I grabbed a box of Snow Caps, a bag of Cheetos, and a jar of spicy pickles.

"Interesting choice," Dimitri grabbed two bottles of Sprite.

I shrugged. "Aunt Flow came for her monthly visit. I'm kind of having some weird cravings."

"Oh."

"What?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking that that would explain your mood swings and why you have been lashing out at my workers—"

I punched him in the arm. Hard. "I was kidding about being on my period. Jeeze. And I haven't been having mood swings. Did the workers really say that I was being a bitch to them?"

He looked down.

"Dimitri!"

"Okay. Yes, yes. They did."

"Assholes." I muttered, shaking my head. "They are so going to get a piece of my mind when we get home."

"Home?" The tranquility and raw happiness in his face gave me the absurd urge to burst into tears. "You consider my mansion…your home?"

"I live there. So yeah."

Dimitri shook his head. "Where a person lives, and where their home is can be two completely different things. I'm just…I'm just happy that you consider it home."

The intercom buzzed. "Pick up for Belikov at the photo department. Pick up for Belikov at the photo department."

"Come on." Dimitri said. I gripped the snacks and stuff giraffe tightly, and snuggled into his side. He wrapped an arm around my waist.

Moments later, we were in the Ferrari looking at all of the photos.

"I love that one of me and you." I smiled as I gazed at it. "I'm going to frame that and put it in my room."

"I'm keeping that one." he winked, pointing to the one of me adjusting my bra.

I laughed and tapped his nose with my fingertip. "You shouldn't take pictures of people when they're not looking. It's rude."

"I couldn't help myself," he grinned. "You just looked so…divine."

I rolled my eyes. "Save it."

"And I'm keeping this one." He flashed a photo of me smiling with my cotton candy. "It's going on my desk."

I blushed and hugged the stuff giraffe tighter.

He smiled as he started the car. "I'm glad you like that."

"You got it for me." I whispered so he couldn't hear me over the roar of the engine. "Of course I love it."

* * *

><p>The majority of Dimitri's staff had gone home for the day, so that's why the mansion was dark when we pulled up to it.<p>

Dimitri parked in the garage, walked around and opened the door for me, and locked the Ferrari. I pushed the button to shut the garage door while he grabbed the bags of snacks and drinks.

"Come on. Let's sneak up to your room."

"Sneak?" he asked bitterly.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Fine, fine. Sneak is okay with me. I understand that you are embarrassed to be seen with me—"

I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him hard. When I ripped my lips away from his, we were both gasping for air. "Go get the movie ready," I whispered, feeling his warm and sweet breath brushing my face. "I'm gonna take a quick shower and I'll be up there in fifteen."

"Okay." He cupped my face and crushed his mouth to mine quickly before grabbing the bags off the floor and heading up to his room.

I took the stairs three at a time to get to my room. Once I was there, I turned on the shower and ripped off my clothes while I waited for the water to heat up.

I hurriedly brushed my teeth before hopping into the shower. I groaned when the water hit my back, it was good to wash all the sweat and smell of zoo animals off my skin.

I scrubbed my flesh raw with a poof and the coconut body wash that I knew Dimitri loved. After rinsing the watermelon shampoo out of my hair, I flicked off the faucet and threw on a towel.

My phone beeped. It was a text from Lissa, '_How r u doing? Is everything ok?'_

My thumbs flew across the buttons. '_I'm fine. Busy. Going 2 sleep. Love u._'

'_Ha, I don't believe that ;) Have fun. Love u too.'_

I tossed my phone on the bed and quickly pulled on a fresh pair of underwear, a loose navy blue t-shirt, and a pair of black shorts.

After brushing my hair and shoving my feet into some slippers, I snuck out of my room and made my way to the third floor where the master suite was.

I wasn't going to have sex with Dimitri or anything; I just didn't want to be alone. I wanted to be with him. I wanted to sleep in his warm bed. And shamefully…I kind of wanted him to hold me.

Butterflies exploded inside my stomach, my palms got sweaty. I was nervous. But it was a good kind of nervous…like an excited nervous.

I paused just a few feet from his door, having heard voices coming from his room. A deep one and a feminine one. I recognized the deep one as his immediately.

His door was wide open and light spilled into the hallway. Slowly and quietly, I tiptoed my way over and peaked inside.

Dimitri was there, and so was his secretary. The one with the black hair and killer body. Tasha was her name, I believe. The two looked like they were in some sort of argument.

When she pulled her shirt off, revealing her bare breasts, I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle my gasp.

Dimitri growled.

Tasha threw her arms around him and kissed him hard.

I took a few steps back in shock, turned around, and ran back to my room.

I was shaking so badly that I could barely stuff my clothes into my duffel bag. Tears blurred my vision and the sobs racking through my body made it hard for me to stand up. I needed to find Victor, and get out of this mansion.

And I needed to get out now.


	6. Chapter 6: Trust me

**A/N: **Hey guys! All of you are amazing! I seriously cannot thank you enough. This chapter is short, but crucial for the future of this story. Enjoy!

-Breanna

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.<strong>

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p><strong>RPOV:<strong>

God, I needed to get a hold of myself. Seriously. I was a pathetic mess. Vicious sobs racked through my body as I walked down the hall towards Victor's room, using the wall to steady myself, with my bag swung over my shoulder.

I didn't have all of my belongings with me, there was no way I could haul all of that stuff out of the mansion before Dimitri caught me. Right now, I felt like I was suffocating and all I cared about was getting out, getting far away from him.

"Rose?...Rose?" Dimitri asked, striding towards me. His eyes flashed down to the duffel bag resting at my hip. His face grew dark and angry. "What are you doing?"

I growled around my tears. "Leaving."

"Why?"

I ignored him as I started walking to Victor's room, but Dimitri's colossal body stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

"Get out of my way." My lips curled up into a sneer. The tears and sadness were long forgotten, and my blood turned to ice.

"Not until you tell me why you are leaving and where you are going."

"Go to hell!" I shoved his chest. When all it did was cause me to bounce back, I grunted and pushed harder. It was like trying to move a boulder, he didn't go anywhere.

"Tell me why you feel the sudden urge to pack up and leave, and then I will let you get to your uncle."

"Fuck you," I said, suddenly feeling exhausted and defeated. Heartache will do that to you. "How could you Dimitri? How could you? Why? Am I not good enough?"

He looked positively dumbstruck as he crossed his bulging arms. "Pardon me? Do what?"

I laughed bitterly, threw my hands up. "Oh, great. Now you're playing dumb. Just splendid." I pointed my finger in his face. "Tell me the truth. Why was Tasha in your bedroom?"

"I fired her." Dimitri said. Damn, he was a good liar. His face showed no signs of guilt.

"Fired her. Why? She didn't meet your expectations in bed? Had to let her go?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Damn it! I saw her in your room, naked, and kissing you." I looked at him expectantly. "Please tell me that I am not crazy. Tell me what happened, Dimitri. Now. Or I swear to god, any chance of us ever getting back together is gone. Forever."

Realization settled in his bottomless eyes. Dimitri was quick to explain, he didn't stutter over his words or pause. "I fired Tasha earlier today because she wasn't doing her job right. Unexpectedly, she came to my room to try and reason with me, to get her job back, but when I denied her...Tasha went to desperate measures, and honest to god, threw herself at me, in hopes of getting her job back."

"You're a good liar, you know that? A fast one too." I said. "Get out of my way. I'm leaving." The burn in my chest was from despair, loss, and…love. Goodbyes hurt, but it was time for me to leave Dimitri behind in my past. This whole situation was too much for me to handle. I wanted my crappy apartment back, my endless minimum-wage job, and most of all, my simple, loveless life.

Suddenly, I was slammed against the wall and pressed against Dimitri, his arms boxing me in at either side of my head. He leaned his face down to mine slowly, some dark brown hair getting in his eyes. "Do you honestly think I would be so stupid as to have a woman in my room when I knew you were coming up?" he hissed.

I pondered the thought for a moment and sniffled. "No."

"I may be a lot of things Roza, but a liar isn't one of them. I am telling you the truth, I swear on my grandmother's grave."

I gulped.

"Tasha didn't get an important fax over to one of my clients today, and it cost me twenty-seven thousand dollars." Dimitri said. "I just had her escorted off the premises because she refused to leave my room."

I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was telling me the truth. There was no way I could not believe him. And I felt like a complete and stupid idiot for jumping to conclusions. I was so impulsive all the time…and fricking pigheaded.

"So you weren't going to have sex with her?"

Emotions flooded his eyes. "Oh, god Roza." Dimitri dropped his face in my hair, rested against my shoulder, and I let him. "No. Never. God no." He pulled back with sad eyes and met my gaze. "Please believe me."

I fisted my fingers in his hair and pulled him back down to me again. "I believe you. I do."

"Are you going to leave?"

Slowly, I shook my head. "Not tonight." The words came out of my mouth in a whisper.

Distress and sorrow surrounded his aura like a blanket, but he nodded, taking the best he could get. "Okay."

"Besides it's not like I could anyways…Victor is watching Die Hard again."

Almost like he was on cue, Victor's shouting carried from his room and into the hall. "Yippee ki-yay motherfucker!"

"I suppose not…" Dimitri said.

"That's what happens when you buy him a flat screen, DVD player, all the action movies he could ever want, and let him go wild."

My Russian god laughed, his delicious body rumbling against mine. "I couldn't help myself. You should have seen his face when he discovered it in his room."

I shook my head. "God, you are extraordinary." I squeezed him tighter, needing to keep him from harm, wanting to hold him forever. "Thank you so much. And I am sorry for reacting the way I did about you and Tasha. I-I…I just saw you guys together and it killed me."

"Don't be sorry," Dimitri pulled back, brushed some hair from my eyes. "I would have done the same thing if I saw you in the arms of another man. Actually, no. I would have gone mad, broke down that door, and…well you can leave the rest to your imagination. As long as it contains brutality and blood and broken bones, it should do the job."

I smiled widely. "I'm not going to lie, that makes a girl feel special." There was nothing like having a man who is tough and cool but has a soft spot for you. Everybody's scared of him, except for you. Because he loves you, a lot. Snapping somebody's neck while he's buying you flowers and chocolates. I sighed. Dimitri was my dream come true. My heaven on earth.

Oh, god. What was happening to me? Why was I having fantasies about making love with Dimitri, having my Cinderella wedding, and worst of all, why did I want to have a whole bunch of little Dimitri's running around the mansion? I hated kids!

_Because you're in love with him_, an annoying little voice in my head sang. I ignored it.

"I don't want to push you or make you feel uncomfortable, but," Dimitri paused. "Would you still like to watch a movie with me in my room?"

"Only if I get to pick."

Reluctantly, he nodded. "Fine."

"Two words: Terminator and Godzilla."

He smiled brilliantly.

I heard a squeak and looked back, Victor had come out of his room. "Hey honey. Hey Dimitri, where can I find that Opal lady? She makes incredible sandwiches."

"She's off tonight. But you can find Mathew in the kitchen, he is a wonderful cook as well."

Victor clapped his hands. "Great!" My uncle ran over and gave me a quick hug, then a pat on the back for Dimitri. "I'll see you kids tomorrow. The movie's on pause and I've got to get me some grub!"

The kitchen doors swayed shut behind him.

I laughed. "Man, he has gained some weight. I love it. He's so healthy now."

Dimitri grabbed my hand and led me to his room.

"I've never been in here before, you know." I ran my hand along the black silk duvet that lay on his massive bed, grimacing and pulling back when I imagined how many women had been on it.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing." I bit my nail and continued to study his bedroom. There was a seventy-two inch plasma screen, expensive-looking oil paintings, a cherry-wood dresser with matching nightstands, and perched on the window ledge was four lit candles, giving the room an orange, intimate glow.

"This is really nice."

Dimitri came over to me and looked me in the eye. "Tell me what is wrong. Why did you look as if you wanted to vomit when you were near my bed?"

I shrugged.

"Tell me."

"I was just thinking about how many women have been in it, that's all. But it's none of my business really."

"Of course it is your business," He grabbed my hands. "I have my sheets changed and duvet dry cleaned weekly. And there hasn't been anyone but me in that bed for months."

I smiled, pleased. "Really?"

"Yes."

"I would kiss you right now if I hadn't seen Tasha put her mouth on yours. Go brush your teeth and stuff, and then come back for some sugar."

Dimitri laughed as he went into his bathroom. I followed. As he flossed and brushed his teeth, I gaped at how beautiful the room was…Ivory marble floors, a walk in shower with black tile and three different shower-heads, a luxurious bathtub with jets, and a fireplace. A goddamn fireplace in his bathroom.

"Do you like it?" He took the cap off the bottle of blue Listerine, poured some into his mouth, swished the liquid around.

"Yeah," I nodded. "It's…It's unbelievable."

Dimitri spit into the sink and dried his mouth with a towel. "I have to take a quick shower."

"Mind if I watch?" I teased.

"Not at all."

"Very tempting, but...I'll put the movie in and get the snacks ready." I shut the door softly.

After popping Terminator into the DVD player, flicking on the plasma, and laying all of the food and drinks on the table, I plopped down on Dimitri's bed, munching on some Snow Caps, waiting for him. The mixture of laundry soap and aftershave on the duvet smelled like heaven.

Moments later, Dimitri came out of the bathroom, dripping wet, shoulder-length brown hair down, only wearing a towel around his waist. Seeing all of that wonderful caramel skin, bulging arms, broad chest and shoulders, and gloriously chiseled eight-pack…my control snapped.

"What the hell are you trying to do to me?" I hissed, running over and tackling his body to the ground, crushing my mouth to his. I was claiming Dimitri as mine. Because he was. And he always would be.

Reluctantly, I pulled back, breathless. "I-I-I…you should get dressed."

I climbed off of him and straightened out my shirt, which had been hiked up when my Russian god had his hands all over me.

Dimitri stood up and fixed his towel.

"Why is it so cold in here?" I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself.

He simply grinned.

"You little shit, you turned down the thermostat on purpose."

"How else was I supposed to get you in bed?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"I meant under the covers," Dimitri explained hastily. "Just so that you're warm and you can get some rest. Nothing else. I'll even sleep on the ground if that makes you more comfortable." He swore in Russian, raking a frustrated hand through his hair. "I really screwed this up, didn't I? Please don't leave, Roza. Stay here tonight…don't pull away from me. I just want you here. With me."

"You're really cute when you beg, you know that? I like it." I peeled back the massive covers and slid inside the bed. "I want you to lay with me tonight." I patted the spot to my left. "Keep me warm."

Dimitri disappeared inside his closet in the blink of an eye. When he came back out moments later, he was wearing cotton pajama bottoms and a white muscle shirt. Although he looked incredibly sexy like that…"You're wearing too much for my liking."

His eyes practically bulged out of his head in surprise.

"Oh, relax. I'm not asking you to get naked." I got on my knees and waved my hands. "Come here. Come on. Come to Mama."

I pressed my lips to his as I slid my hands from his shoulders, all the way down to the bottom of his shirt. He smelled like water, soap, and his natural masculine scent…it was intoxicating.

I ripped my mouth away from his and met his dark and lust filled eyes. It was nearly my undoing. I moaned loudly, just from looking into his eyes, that's how desirable he made me feel.

Slowly, I slid the shirt up and over his head, revealing the body of a god. The shirt dropped to the floor as my eyes feasted upon Dimitri.

Unable to help myself, I ran my hands up and down his torso, loving the way his mountains of muscle rippled under my touch.

"You are so beautiful." I murmured, lowering my head and pressing my mouth to the hard flesh of his stomach. Dimitri kicked his head back and growled, like a wild animal. That one noise turned me on so much that I had to pull back, afraid of what I might do…or how far we might go.

"We should stop. Not tonight. I'm not ready."

Dimitri nodded. "I understand. Will you still stay with me tonight?"

"Do you honestly think I can leave after that? No." I smiled, laying down on the bed. "Come here. I want you to hold me." The mattress dipped down as it took in his weight. A moment later, I felt his arm around my waist. Dimitri pulled me into his body and rested his forehead against my shoulder. I had never felt so safe. The heat coming from him was maddening, I instantly felt myself relax.

"Thank you." He whispered, Russian accent thick. Dimitri grabbed the remote and pressed play on the movie. Those long fingers of his weaved themselves into my hair as I fought to keep my eyes open.

"You're not going to work as a housekeeper anymore," Dimitri said. "I want you to be my secretary. Do you think you can handle making me coffee and faxing papers?"

"I dated you for two years," I smiled. "I can handle anything."

* * *

><p><strong>Unknown POV: <strong>

He slapped the photo down on the table. "Meet Dimitri Belikov, thirty-one years of age, multibillionaire, owns some of the worlds most profitable hotels."

"Married? Children? Tell me about his family background." The blonde male said.

"Belikov has paid good money to keep their lives private and away from the public eye, but I was still able to dig some information up. Belikov visits his family monthly, and they all live together on a private estate in some town in Russia named Baia..." He shrugged, pulled out a cigarette, and paused before lighting it, "Do you mind if I smoke in here?"

The blonde male had a look of disgust. "Yes, I do."

"Too bad." He took a long drag and exhaled, thick grey smoke surrounded the two like a cloud. He reached into his pocket and pulled out something wrapped in yellow cloth. He gently set it on the table and pulled back the towel, careful not to get his fingerprints anywhere on the cool metal. "I need you to take him out."

"How much are we talking here?" The blonde male asked, staring at the 9mm pistol with the silencer attached to it.

He scribbled something down on the check and handed it to him, enjoying the look of surprise on the younger man's face when he read it. "I know your time is important, so I wanted to make sure that this was worth your while."

"Seven digits are definitely worth my while." The blonde male crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "When do you want me to do it?"

"As soon as possible."

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><p><strong>As always, I'd love to hear what you think! <strong>


	7. Chapter 7: Don't stop

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p>"Why are you dancing in my office?"<p>

"Because I want to. And I'm happy." I did a few twirls like a ballerina, swung my arms around, jumped in the air.

Dimitri shook his head, but he was smiling. "And you're barefoot."

I glanced down at my feet, and then continued to dance, gradually making my way towards the oak desk, to him. "Yeah, those heels were four inches of sheer torture. I like this better. Besides, I'm wearing a pencil skirt and a nice dress top, aren't you happy?"

"Yes, very happy. Now can I have the papers John faxed over?" Dimitri held out his hand.

I put the papers in his hand, but kept my grip. "Only if you say please."

"Please."

"Please what?"

"Please, Rose."

"Please Rose what?"

Those dark eyes narrowed. "Please Rose, can I have the papers?"

"Good," I said. "Now beg for it."

I laughed at the look he shot me. "Kidding, Comrade. Relax. We'll save the begging for later...when you put on that thing. _Oh, yeah._ You know what I'm talking about. That little red ball that straps onto your mouth when I'm spanking you hard and calling you dirty names."

From the corner of the room, Ivan and Darius coughed to cover up their laughter. The strains on their faces were amusing.

I pecked Dimitri on the cheek once and sauntered out of the room. "I'll talk to Opal and have her make you boys some lunch. Food'll be here in forty-five minutes."

Plopping down on the comfy and cushioned chair, I stared at my desk. _My_ desk. I loved it. "God, this beats scrubbing toilets any day."

On the other side of the room, at a desk of her own, Sydney chuckled as she munched on her Caesar salad. "That's for sure. Ugh. How did you even handle that? I hate sweat!"

I rolled my eyes inwardly. It was going to take some time getting used to Blondie. I still remembered her from her days as Dimitri's assistant at the _Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Palace_. She annoyed me then and things hadn't changed much over the past years.

"I'll make you love sweat, baby. Just give me one chance."

My head snapped up. "Adrian?"

"Hey Little Waitress, how are you doing?"

I ran over and tackled him in a hug. "Good! I'm doing good!"

He laughed in surprise as he wrapped his arms around me. "Whoa, I like the way you greet me."

I pulled back. "What are you doing here?" Why was I so damn excited to see him? He bugged the hell out of me at times.

"I'm here to take you out for lunch." Adrian handed me a single red rose, which had been hidden behind his back. "For you, my lady."

After grabbing my purse and sunglasses, I paused at my desk for a moment. "Hey Sydney, this is Adrian."

"Oh, yes. I remember. The sweaty guy." She tossed her salad and plastic fork in the garbage, her face pinched, as if she was disgusted. "Nice to meet you."

Adrian's emerald-green eyes gleamed with amusement. "Not sweaty all the time. Just in bed."

"Judging by the looks of you, I'm going to assume that you really mean _sweaty all the time_."

"Are you calling me a whore? Because I take that very offensively." Adrian put his hands on his hips, smirking like a fool. "You know, I'm going to let that comment slide because you're so cute and I want you in my bed. With your clothes off."

Sydney raised her eyebrows. "You couldn't handle all of this."

"Maybe not. But I sure as hell would like to try."

"Sorry. You're not my type." She went back to typing.

"Ouch." I laughed and patted Adrian's back. "Rejection is the biggest bitch, ain't it?"

His eyes were trained on Sydney, and his expression was determined. Oh boy. Adrian on the prowl. She had turned him down and that turned him on. He wasn't going to stop until he had her. I knew from experience.

Adrian walked over to her desk, reached in his back pocket for his wallet, and pulled out a card. "You are fire. And you've got the prettiest eyes I have ever seen, they're like melted caramel mixed with fresh honey."

When she blushed and smiled shyly, it boosted his confidence up about a million notches. Which was _so_ not necessary, the guy was arrogant enough as it was.

"I want you to call me," Adrian placed the card on the desk, slid it over to her. "And I will take you out on a romantic date and treat you like a real lady. We'll go wherever you want."

Sydney picked it up, studied it, eyes sparkling. "Really?"

"Of course, Angel." He reached over the desk, grabbed her slender hand, and placed a lingering kiss to her knuckles.

"Well that's too bad." Abruptly, she ripped the card into little pieces and blew them in his face. "Get off your high horse, asshole. I. Don't. Want. You. Now scram. I've got work to do."

"I like you." I gave her a high-five. "You are remarkable. I have a feeling we're going to be great friends."

Sydney smiled, and it was sincere. "I like you too."

I pulled on Adrian's arm. "Come on," He looked stunned as he stared at Sydney. It wasn't often that girls rejected him.

"You haven't seen the last of me." He pointed at her. "I am going to melt you like ice and have you dripping all over my feet. I'm going to make you want me—no, _need_ me. Just watch, Angel."

She responded by sticking out her tongue.

"Where do you think you're going?" I cringed as Dimitri's harsh voice cut through the air like a knife. Holding onto Adrian's arm tightly for strength and protection, I turned around and faced him.

"Just going out for lunch, Comrade." I plastered a Barbie smile on my face.

"I thought we had plans to eat together."

Beside me, Adrian snickered and I elbowed him in the ribs. "Change of plans, buddy. Sorry. I'm stealing your eating partner for the day. Sydney looks open, though. Why don't you go after her?"

Sydney and I shot him a glare. Stomping on his foot, I hoped to silence him.

"Ouch! Rose, what the hell?"

Dimitri eyed where our bodies connected, and then his gaze flicked up to meet mine. "Alright, I'll see you when you get back then. Rose, I want you in my office the instant you step foot in this mansion." His voice was awesomely calm and controlled, telling me that what he was anything but. The calmer Dimitri became, the angrier he was. I knew his insides were on fire with barely contained rage right now. "Have a good lunch." With smooth and seemingly careless movements, he turned around and disappeared inside his office.

I grabbed Adrian's arm and yanked. Once we were outside in the fresh and crisp evergreen air, I asked him for one of his Cloves.

"You smokin' again?" He patted his leather coat until he found the pack, pulled two ivory sticks out and handed me one.

I shook my head. "Just nerves, that's all. This helps me calm down, kind of." With trembling hands, I stuck the cigarette between my lips and waited as Adrian lit his and then mine.

The cherry flared red as I sucked in the familiar Clove smoke. The muscles in my back and neck sagged and I closed my eyes for a split second.

"You're letting that Russian get to you again, ain't you?" Adrian asked as we made our way to his Bentley. Envy spiked in my veins. Damn, he was one lucky and rich son of a bitch.

But it wasn't like he deserved it. All Adrian did with his life was drink, smoke, party, and womanize. Last time I had asked, he hadn't had a job. He was sucking the life out of his parent's bank accounts. Dimitri may be a rich snob, but at least he had worked hard for his money and earned it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I slid in the car at the same time Adrian did.

"I see that look in your eyes," He said as he backed the Bentley out of the massive driveway and onto the gravel road. "And your aura is fucking bright as hell. Both of yours, actually. Hold on, let me put my sunglasses on."

After a pretty nasty car accident a few years back, Adrian had been pronounced clinically dead at the hospital for over an hour. When he came back around, he said that he didn't remember the accident or anything after that, but claimed that all this weird shit started happening to him, like he was seeing ghosts and colors around people. These days, he believed that he past over to the other side during that hour of being clinically dead, and when he came back, he'd possessed clairvoyant gifts.

I believed Adrian, I really did. But the whole situation was hard for me to grasp at times.

I rolled my eyes, but I was intrigued. "What do you mean _both of yours_?"

"Ha! You're such a bitch until you want something. It's funny really." Adrian punched in the security code and sped out onto the smooth black roads surrounded by the insanely green forest. "And you and Dimitri. That's what I meant when I said both. Your auras glow like no other when you're in each others presence."

"Is that a bad thing?"

He shrugged. "It can be."

"Care to explain?"

"In simple terms, uh, there are two very strong emotions—"

"What are they in Dimitri's?" God, why was I even asking all of this? It's not like I cared! Okay…maybe I did. A small part of me was extremely curious.

"Love and hurt."

I cringed. "_Love_?"

"Honestly, yes. It's a very strong emotion in him when you're around. Nearly overwhelming."

"And hurt? Why hurt?"

"Probably because you dumped the poor fellow," Adrian chuckled humorlessly. "That has to be difficult to get over, ya know. But…oh well. I'm not very good with all this romantic stuff."

"What about my aura? What's in mine?"

"Yours is the one that…disturbs me. Uh, well, it's a mix between love and hate. Mostly hate when you're around him."

I cringed again. "That's not true! I don't hate anyone."

"Maybe you don't hate Dimitri, but you hate what he's done to you…or at least what you think he did to you."

My gaze narrowed. "What?"

"Nothing. Just voicing my opinion. Don't be mad at me."

"Why don't you just be quiet?" I turned on the radio. "Your voice is giving me a headache and I'm absolutely starved. Not a good combination."

He shrugged. "Whatever. It's your world, I just live in it."

On the drive to _Classic Chubby Burgers_, I thought of what Adrian had said. Did I really hate Dimitri for the heartache he'd caused me? Was my mind actually that sick and twisted that I blamed him for everything? Sure he might have packed up his bags and left for Russia, but I'd been the one to end it. Over a lousy text message.

What was wrong with me? This was my entire fault! And all I'd been doing these past months was point the finger at Dimitri.

I groaned and rested my head on the seat, having the absurd urge to cry.

God, I'd made a mess of my life. Screwed things up _real_ badly.

Now all I wanted to do was fix things, and I hoped it wasn't already too late for that…

"Hey, Mason," I gave him a quick hug before sliding into the booth with Adrian. "How you doing with the skates?"

Those baby-blue eyes flickered down to his feet and then back up. He smiled widely. "Just the other day I tripped and knocked a tray of drinks all over this old lady. Besides that, they're great. They make me look tall, don't they?"

"Yup," I nodded. "Not to mention those long legs. You must be driving ladies wild."

"Always," He chuckled and pulled out his pad and pen. "A coke for Rose."

I smiled. "You know me too well."

"And what would you like to drink?" Mason asked Adrian, that fond and friendly tone he used with me was gone.

"Gin and Tonic."

I narrowed my eyes. "If you drink, I'm driving. I won't get in that car with a drunken fool."

"Too late for that, Little Waitress," Adrian flashed me his silver flask. "I've been drinking since eight this morning."

Gritting my teeth, I snatched the flask out of his hand and stuffed it into my purse. "No more alcohol for you. And I'm driving. End of story."

"That's okay. There is nothing sexier than when a woman tells me what she wants. I just love when you're in control—"

"Shut up before I punch you in the gut for being so stupid as to risk both of our lives when you got into that Bentley and drove us here. Idiot!"

Adrian huffed. "Fine."

Turning back to Mason, I smiled. "He'll have a coke, too."

After taking our food orders, Mason nodded and skated off.

Adrian knotted his fingers together and settled back in the booth. "So tell me more about this Sydney chick. She's kind of…beautiful."

"Beautiful? Did I just hear you call a girl beautiful?" I skimmed through the menu. "Usually it's _hot_ or _sexy_ or _fuckable, _sometimes _weekend worthy_…but never beautiful. That's a first."

"I don't know," Adrian shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "Sydney is just…different. I guess."

I grinned. "You like her."

"I want her in my bed."

"Ha! It's more than that." I said. "She's caught your eye and held it, hasn't she? Wow. You're hooked."

"Not hooked, just intrigued. Really, really intrigued. She's feisty and wild and untamable…I like that." Adrian leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the red table. "So when are you going to get me her number?"

I laughed. "I don't think so, buddy."

"Come on! Please!"

Mason brought the food, after thanking him, he grinned and disappeared.

"Why not?" Adrian drawled. "It's just a phone number."

"Because the girl is nice and I kind of like her." I said. "With a mansion full of greedy and fake people, I'm not screwing that up. If I give you her number, Sydney's going to hate me. You're on your own with this one."

"Fine," Adrian sipped on his soda. "This'll be easy. Sydney's like a big glacier, I've got my ice pick and I just need to chip away at her one piece at a time. She'll learn to love me."

I snorted as I bit into my burger, nearly choking on the damn thing. "Good luck with that one."

We had to hurry up and eat lunch quickly because unfortunately I had to get back to work.

Fifteen minutes later, I pulled the Bentley into the Mansion's driveway and jumped out of the vehicle. "Drive safe," I gave Adrian a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for paying this time!"

Dimitri was upstairs in his office, waiting for me like he'd said he would.

"Hey, Comrade,"

"How was lunch?"

"Good," I plopped down on the seat in front of his desk, noticing we were completely alone. "I had a cheeseburger…in case you were wondering."

"A healthy food choice." He said dryly.

"Meh. Not really. I'm two French fries away from being on an operating table." Unexpectedly, I burped loudly and then laughed. "Woops. Too much coke. 'Scuse me. What did you wanna talk about?"

"Just wanted to tell you that you're doing a great job on your first day. The coffee is a little watered down, but that's fine." He took a sip of his mug.

My eyes narrowed. "Are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because I ditched you and went out with Adrian."

Dimitri shrugged and his jaw clenched tight. "It bothered me a little because I was looking forward to eating with you." he shrugged. "But there's always tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day thereafter."

I smiled. "Are you asking me out to lunch, Belikov?"

Dimitri put his hands together. "I guess I am. Would you accept my offer?"

"Maybe." I crossed my legs, loving the way his dark eyes tracked the movement. "But I don't wanna wait until tomorrow to spend time with you."

He beamed. "What are you proposing we do?"

I stood up, walked over behind him, and placed my hands on his broad shoulders, feeling the thick and hard muscle underneath his Armani suit. "I don't know…maybe we could have dinner tonight. In your room. Alone."

Dimitri squeezed his eyes closed. "I think I can make that happen."

"Good," I spun the chair around so that he could face me and mesmerized every feature of him…that thick throat, hard jaw, full lips, knife-edged cheekbones, narrow nose, and those eyes...they were so dark and intense that it felt like my insides were on fire. Somehow, I managed to find my voice, "I'll have dinner with you under one condition."

"Okay. Anything you want."

"You shouldn't have agreed until you knew what the condition was. Too late to go back now, though." I chuckled. "I wanna make dinner."

He grimaced. "That's the condition?"

"Yes," I said sternly. "And I don't want any help from Opal either. I'm on my own with this one."

"What are you going to make for us to eat?"

"Oh, don't look so disgusted! And I don't know what I'm gonna make yet. It's a surprise. I'll go to the supermarket after work and figure it out."

"May I come with you?"

"No."

"I don't want you alone."

"And I don't want you to be so overprotective. My mother died years ago and I don't need someone bossing me around. Okay?"

Dimitri's handsome face went grim. "I am sorry. I am just worried, that's all. I hate the thought of you getting hurt."

"I'll be fine, Comrade. Relax."

"I am very calm. You're the one who looks tense."

"Maybe you can give me a massage, that way I'll feel better."

Dimitri sat up in his chair and grabbed my waist, turning my body around. "You are too much, you know that? But I can't resist touching you." He pulled me into his lap and I settled into the cradle of his hips.

My heartbeat and breathing went wild.

"How does this feel?" His hands massaged pure magic into my shoulders. My head dropped, eyes closed, I moaned.

"I'm guessing that you like it." Dimitri chuckled as he started massaging my neck. His fingers were light and warm and soft.

The pressure increased and it was heaven. My abdomen surged forward, my bottom smashed hard against his hips. He hissed.

"Oh, my god! I'm so sorry—"

Before I knew what was happening, Dimitri shot to his feet and slammed me down on his oak desk. A nanosecond later, his lips were crushed against mine. My surprised gasp was followed by a very feminine sigh.

I threw my arms around his neck as a slippery tongue penetrated my mouth. "Oh, Dimitri." My legs wrapped themselves around his waist on their own accord.

He pulled back and gasped for air. "God, you are so damn beautiful." With a hungry expression, he fisted his hands at the top of my shirt and pulled. Buttons popped and flew everywhere as he ripped the fabric all the way down the middle.

A moment later my back was flat against the desk with Dimitri's hands all over my body, I dragged one leg up, not caring that my heel was making scratches in the polished oak.

His name escaped my lips in a scream as he leaned against the desk and settled between my legs, his mouth going to my navel, kissing and licking and sucking and biting.

My legs hooked around his neck and I yanked on his hair—

"Holy shit."

My head snapped up. Darius and Ivan were standing in the doorway completely stunned.

"Damn. That's hot." Darius said, and then cleared his throat uncomfortably, like he'd realized what he said was extremely inappropriate. "Look, I'm sorry. We didn't mean to barge in."

I scrambled off the desk at the same time Dimitri growled, "Don't look at her! Turn around. Now!"

They quickly did as they were told.

I wrenched my shirt closed, which didn't really help cover me up because the buttons were all over the ground and chair and desk…

Oh, god. That desk. Now every time I see it the memories are going to flood back into my mind.

I couldn't decide if that was a really, really bad thing. Or a really, really good thing.

Dimitri came over to me. "I can't go out there like this!" I whisper yelled. "It's embarrassing."

"Take my coat."

"That's too big. Everyone will know what we did in here."

"Then take my shirt." Dimitri quickly pulled off his jacket, tossed it on the leather chair, and then went to work at unbuttoning his black shirt.

I hissed as I stared at his naked abdomen. "God, this is torture. Why do you do this to me?"

He put his shirt around my shoulders and carefully helped fasten it. "She is for my eyes only. So help me God if either of you are looking—"

"We're not, Boss. Swear." Darius said urgently. They had their backs turned to us with their hands up in the air, as if they were criminals surrendering to cops with weapons drawn.

I nearly laughed.

Dimitri tucked the shirt into my skirt. It was baggy and a little heavy on my shoulders, but other than that, it was fine.

"You look beautiful in my clothes."

"I bet I look even better out of them."

He licked his swollen lips. "So true, Roza. So true."

"I, uh, I better get out of here."

"Are we still having dinner tonight?"

"Of course." I gave him a quick kiss and quickly walked out of the room, embarrassed like hell and blushing until I was the color of a lobster.

Right before the door shut behind me, I heard Darius say, "So Boss, where's that red ball?"

* * *

><p>I pushed the cart through the supermarket, staring at the colorful sea of vegetables. "Where the hell are the tomatoes?"<p>

"Right here." Lissa grabbed a plastic bag from the roller, grabbed a bunch of shiny red tomatoes, dropped them into the bag, and tied it. "What are you making anyways?"

"Pizza." I said proudly.

"Pizza?"

"Yeah. I wanna make some homemade food, ya know. I really don't know how to make pizza but I figured I'd give it a shot. Get some dough and cheese and pepperoni…stuff like that."

"Whatever you say."

"Don't give me that look." I wheeled the cart into the dairy section and grabbed four blocks of mozzarella cheese because I wasn't sure how much I needed. Better to be safe than sorry.

"What look?" Lissa asked.

"That look that says you know I'm going to fail."

"I never gave you that look."

"Yes, you did."

"I think you are mistaking if for my look that says I know you're going to succeed."

I snorted, grabbed a Slim Jim from a shelf as we passed by, and whacked her in the back of the head.

"Ouch! What the hell?" Lissa rubbed the sore spot.

"You loved it."

"It felt like a whip!"

"I rest my case."

Fifteen minutes later, we'd gone through the check out stands and were pushing the cart towards Lissa's white Mercedes convertible in the back of the parking lot.

"Thanks for coming with me," I said as she popped the truck and helped me start loading the grocery bags.

"No problem," she smiled. "It was good to spend some girl time with you. I needed it."

"Me too—"

Lissa suddenly screamed as she looked over my shoulder.

"What is it?" I spun around and froze.

There was a man standing there in all black with a ski mask covering his face.

He leveled a gun at me.

And pulled the trigger.


	8. Chapter 8: Sending a Message

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p><strong>Previously on The Russian's worth the price I pay...<strong>_  
><em>

_Fifteen minutes later, we'd gone through the check out stands and were pushing the cart towards Lissa's white Mercedes convertible in the back of the parking lot._

_"Thanks for coming with me," I said as she popped the truck and helped me start loading the grocery bags._

_"No problem," she smiled. "It was good to spend some girl time with you. I needed it."_

_"Me too—"_

_Lissa suddenly screamed as she looked over my shoulder._

_"What is it?" I spun around and froze._

_There was a man standing there in all black with a ski mask covering his face._

_He leveled a gun at me._

_And pulled the trigger._

* * *

><p><strong>LPOV: <strong>

_Pop. _

The sound was muffled by a silencer, but still very distinctive.

The gun had been fired. Straight at my best friend.

I screamed until my lungs burned and prayed to god that she wasn't dead.

Rose fell to the ground, clutching her thigh.

The man with the ski mask shoved the gun back into his pants, stared at me for a split second, then took off at a dead run in the opposite direction, disappearing into the shadows of the alley behind the supermarket.

Even though my instincts had me paralyzed on the spot with fear, I pushed passed them and kicked into the adrenaline part.

My best friends' blue jeans were covered in crimson. Oh, god…there was so much blood. When I saw the small hole of where the bullet had entered her flesh, I felt like I was going to be sick.

"Rose! Rose! Stay with me, okay? I'm going to get some help." Frantically, I searched all around me. The supermarket was closing soon so there were only a few cars in the parking lot, and there wasn't a single human being walking around…so far as I could see.

"We have to get out of here. He might come back." Rose sobbed, tears streaming down her face. In the entire eighteen years I had known her, I had only seen Rose cry on two occasions. Seeing her in pain broke my heart and I wanted to kill the guy that had hurt her.

"Apply pressure to the wound," I dropped to my knees beside her. There was blood all over her legs, hands, and face. "I'll get you out of here, baby girl. Don't worry…it'll be fine."

"I don't feel anything anymore, Liss. It doesn't hurt…"

Tears welled up into my eyes, stinging them. "You're in shock." With hands shaking so badly, I found the cell phone in my purse and tried several times before successfully punching in 911—

"No. Don't." Rose said, reaching for me with red fingers. "Please…don't call an… ambulance. I hate…hospitals. You…you know that."

I hated how much she paused as she spoke. Her voice was weak, a whisper. It was like she was fading away from me…getting closer and closer to death with each second that ticked by.

I cursed. "I'm not letting you die because of your fears."

Those dark eyes were sharper than a razor as she stared at me. "It's not just a fear and you know it.

Tears blurred my vision. "Please, Rose…please—"

"Call Dimitri," she said. "Call him now. I want him. He can save me…he…he used to be a paramedic. He'll save me. Call him…I want him. Please."

I hated the way she was repeating herself, especially because she didn't realize it. It went against every instinct in my body to click the red button on my cell phone, erasing those three crucial numbers. Scrolling down my contact list, I quickly found Dimitri's number and hit send.

"Belikov." He barked into the phone.

"Dimitri! Rose. She's been shot. In the leg. A guy came with a gun in the parking lot and shot her. While we were putting the groceries in the car. He pulled out a gun. He was wearing all black with a ski mask. I tried to call the cops, but Rose stopped me. She refuses to go to the hospital. She's going to bleed to death. I don't know what to do—"

"Slow it down, Lissa. Tell me where you are exactly. It's not going to help anyone if you hyperventilate and pass out." Dimitri's voice was that kind of deadly calm. That one that indicated he was cool on the outside, but roaring in flames on the inside.

I was breathing so hard I had to repeat the name and address of the supermarket four times.

"I've got it." Dimitri said. There was a shuffling in the background, as if he were running. And then a slam that sounded like a car door being shut. "I'm driving as fast as I can, but it's still going to take me a few minutes to get there. I need you to listen very carefully, okay Lissa? This may be crucial for Rose's survival."

I nodded and realized he couldn't see it. "Yes, yes. I'm listening."

"Tell me everything about the bullet wound. Exactly where it's located, the size, how much she's bleeding."

I was quick to explain.

There was a long pause on Dimitri's end and I wanted to scream because of the deafening silence.

"Do you have a belt?" He asked finally.

I glanced down at my waist. "Yeah, yeah. A silver one with stars and sparkles. I'm wearing it right now."

"Take it off quickly." Dimitri commanded. I heard honks and screeches in the background and knew he was speeding. I set the phone down on the ground, then scrambled and ripped and yanked to get the belt off. Once it was done, I picked up the cell again.

"Alright, I need you to pinch the phone between your shoulder and ear. That way you can still hear me. You'll need both hands for this."

I did as he said. "Okay."

"From the way you explained it, I don't think that the bullet hit a main artery, but it's still important to apply pressure to stop the blood flow. Take your belt; wrap it around her thigh, right above the injury."

By the time that was done, I was practically screaming for him to tell me what to do next.

"Now, I know you're not going to like doing this…but you have to, Lissa." Dimitri took a deep breath. "Pull the belt as tight as you can and buckle it. Do you hear me? As tight as possible. Really yank on it."

I cried the whole time I did it, hating the way Rose would moan and scream each time I pulled on the belt. "It's hurting her, Dimitri…"

"That's a good sign," he said. "It means that she's snapping out of the shock and getting feeling back. That's a really good sign. Hand her the phone while you finish it. I'm almost there."

"Here, Rose. Take this. It's Dimitri. He wants to talk to you." I shoved the phone into her bloody palm, getting warm cherry-red liquid all over my cell, but not giving a damn.

"Dimitri?" She croaked, getting all choked up with fresh tears. There was a pause as he said something over the other line.

Suddenly, she smiled. "I miss you, too. I miss you so much. I really wish you were here with me. Sorry that I couldn't make you dinner tonight...probably would have burned it anyways."

Rose flinched as I pulled on the belt one last time, then buckled it. "It's too tight." she complained.

"It has to be that way, baby girl. At least until he gets here." I said, sitting down beside her. I pulled her body into my side. She sagged immediately, taking what little comfort I could provide her.

"It hurts, Dimitri. My thigh hurts."

As evil as it may sound, I was so glad to hear those words leave her lips. That whole shock thing freaked me out. And according to Dimitri, it was a good sign for her to have regained feeling back. Supposedly, it was an improvement.

"I want to tell you something…" Rose murmured into the phone. "If I die tonight—no, just listen to me and don't interrupt. Okay?"

There was another long pause and a buzz over the phone.

"If I die tonight, I don't want to go to my grave with this secret." She paused, took a breath. "I love you, Dimitri. Understand? I'm so in love with you I can't even think straight sometimes. I think about you all the time, every day, all night. Your face invades my dreams and when I see you with another woman; it makes me want to stab something. I hate it. I want you to be mine. Only mine. No one else's. I love you. Did I say that already? I think I did. Oh well. I love you. And…and I just want you to know that."

A black Escalade ripped into the parking lot out of nowhere. I screamed and crouched over my best friend protectively; shielding her body with my own, ready to take a bullet for her if I had to.

Except the Escalade pulled straight up to us and Dimitri hopped out, followed by Ivan and that really tall guy with the long black hair, Darius.

Dimitri's face hardened into pure malice when he took in Rose's state. He quickly ran over and kneeled in front of her. "Watch our backs!" he barked.

Darius nodded as he reached under his leather coat. He pulled something out. I saw a flash of a chest holster and silver—

Oh, God.

It was another gun.

I wobbled.

"Baby, baby? It's okay. I'm not here to harm you…I'll protect you. Now come on. Let's get you in the car." Darius walked over and put a beefy arm around my waist. Despite the fact that he had roughly around a hundred and seventy pounds on me, I felt safe. Really safe. Like I could finally relax.

He just radiated that kind of power and aggressiveness most males didn't. He ushered me inside the Escalade, turning his thick neck back and forth, side to side, looking all around us to make sure the man with the ski mask wasn't coming back.

"Are you all right? For now?" Darius buckled me in.

I swallowed and nodded. "Y-y-yeah. I'm fine. Just please…make sure that you help her. I can't lose her."

Darius's facial expression was fierce and brutal, reminding me what an amazing fighter he was. "I promise you that he will do everything in his power to save her. Rose is my brother's life. If anything were to happen to her…yeah, I can't even go there hypothetically. Just stay put."

"Hey! What about my car?"

"Ivan will handle it."

The door slammed shut.

**RPOV:**

"Hey, Comrade!" I beamed. God, I was so happy to see him. It felt like it had been a million years. Behind him, Darius and Ivan were like two statues, guns drawn out, searching the perimeter.

Dimitri crouched down beside me, his eyes flickering all around us. There was that dangerous air around him that told me he was preparing for the worst, and ready to fight at any given moment. "Hey baby, how are you?"

"My thigh hurts. Really bad. Especially since Lissa wrapped her belt around me." I glanced down and cursed loudly.

"What is it?" He was tenser than I'd ever seen him before. It kind of reminded me of a show I'd seen on Animal Planet. There had been a lion hiding in the grasslands, deadly quiet and unnaturally still as he waited for the right moment to pounce on his prey, the zebra.

"These were my favorite jeans! And now they're ruined. Look at all the blood…and damn, that bullet hole. Do you have a sewing machine, Comrade?"

"I'm going to pick you up. Okay, Roza? It will hurt. A lot. And it pains me to do this, but I have to get you out of here. Fast. Before someone comes back to finish the job."

Grimacing, I nodded. "All right, just do it. Get it over with."

I bit my fist as he lifted me off the ground and into his arms. I didn't think a little wound in my leg would hurt that bad, but damn, getting shot was painful.

Dimitri set me in the passenger seat of the Escalade, buckled me in, closed the door and ran to hop in the driver's seat.

"Great. I'm getting blood all over your car."

Dimitri whipped the car out of the parking lot and exhaled in relief, but his body was still rigid with tension. While keeping his eyes on the road and mowing throw red lights and stop signs, he rolled his head side to side, back and forth, cracking it.

"Make sure there's no one tailing us." He said to Darius, who was sitting in the back seat with my best friend.

"Roger that, Boss."

"Hey, Liss?" I whispered. "Can you hear me?"

She grabbed my hand and squeezed hard. "Yeah." Her voice cracked with emotion.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Thank you. Thank you so much. You saved my life."

"No need to thank me, baby girl. That's what best friends are for."

For some absurd reason, I giggled like a maniac. Lissa joined me.

"I love you." I clutched my stomach.

"Love you, too."

Dimitri made a sharp left turn, my body slammed against the door, my cheek cracking against the windshield.

"Slow down. Will ya?" I growled.

"I can't."

"You're not taking me to the hospital, are you? I won't go to the hospital. I'm not going. You can't make me go!" In a desperate attempt, I ripped off my seatbelt and tried to scramble out of the seat.

A large palm came down on my belly, holding me on the spot. "I'm not, Roza. I know you have an intense fear of them and I wouldn't do that to you."

Relaxing tremendously, I eased back into the leather. "My leg hurts. They're so much pressure on it…it's turning numb and purple."

Dimitri grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together, not caring that my blood was getting all over his skin and impeccably tailored, pin-stripe suit. "I'm going to care for you. We are almost home. I will take your pain away."

Ten minutes later, the Escalade roared past the mansion's massive iron gates and into the driveway. All three of them jumped out of the vehicle while I waited for Dimitri to come around and pick me up.

Lissa's white Mercedes convertible pulled up.

Once I was safely in his arms, he barked out orders to Darius and Ivan. They ran off to put the mansion on lockdown.

Dimitri, Lissa, and I went inside. The air was toasty and the aroma of clean linen and lemon was strong in my nose. I laid my head against his chest and watched all the rooms go by in a blur…the brilliant ivory marble flooring, snow-white furniture, see-through piano, Roman God's and Goddesses' statues, gleaming chandeliers.

We went up one of the two grand staircases with Victorian railings.

I screamed when the Husky slid around the corner, stopped directly in our path, dropped a tennis ball from her teeth, and barked loudly. The sound ricocheted off the walls and ceiling, making me flinch.

"Roza!" Dimitri hissed something in Russian. She whimpered, loosing all of that playfulness that she had just carried, and lowered her head, stepping out of our way.

"You're really gonna have to rename her, you know." I giggled, patting my good thigh. "Come here, doggy! Come here. Follow us."

Her wolf-like face snapped up, her black ears going high.

I could have sworn she smiled at me.

But then again, maybe my blood wasn't the only thing I was losing.

The husky trotted along with her tennis ball, all happy and cheerful. I patted and smoothed my hand over her fur as Dimitri set me down on his colossal bed.

I gritted my teeth and hissed from the pain, squeezing my eyes shut. When I opened them again, the husky's silver eyes were wide and concerned as she stared at me with her head resting against the edge of the bed. She knew that I was in pain and she didn't like it.

I smiled and scratched her ears. "You may not be as bad as I first thought you were. You're kind of cool…"

She responded by nudging my forearm with her nose.

"This is Demerol," Dimitri was at the end of the bed, his suit jacket was off and the cuffs of his white shirt were rolled up. With gloved hands, he held the vile and syringe upside down, dragging liquid in and measuring the dose. "It will take your pain away."

"I won't feel a thing?"

He nodded.

There was a coolness on my arm as he put rubbing alcohol on my skin.

"Good." To keep from panicking at that strong hospital smell, I told myself that I was in the mansion with Lissa and Dimitri. The two people I loved most in this world.

Roza, the Husky, howled. I laughed and pet her, knowing that she didn't want to be left out of the bunch.

"This is going to pinch just a little bit. Don't think about the needle. Focus on something else."

Turning my head to the right, I was met with my best friends' eyes. They were wide and bright with worry, morphing into two granny-smith apples.

The sting in my arm from the Demerol shot didn't hurt so badly with her by my side.

The relief from the pain killer was instantaneous. The intense burning in my thigh faded.

"I need to get into your pants."

My neck snapped to the side. "What?"

"Your pants. I need to take them off so I can treat the wound properly."

"Oh. Okay…well. Go on." I looked down. "Hey! I'm not bleeding so much!"

"The blood is clotting," Dimitri explained.

"Can you keep the bullet for me? I want to save it as a souvenir."

"Too bad," he said. "Because the bullet went into the front of your thigh and made an exit out the back of it."

I made a face.

"You're actually disappointed? I cannot believe you. You're lucky it went out. That means I don't have to do any digging for the bullet...and no digging means faster healing and recovery time."

"Grosse."

As Dimitri started to unbutton my jeans, Lissa coughed uncomfortably.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"Actually, I have to go make a quick call." With a kiss to my forehead, she slid off the bed and headed for the door. "Christian will probably be freaking out that I'm not home yet. I'll just be out in the hallway."

I nodded and the door shut softly behind her petite body.

Dimitri was very careful and tentative, watching my face and gauging my reactions as he slid the jeans down my legs and off my feet.

"Thank heavens I decided to wear panties today."

He growled in response.

The door flew open and in came a very keyed up Darius. "Hey, boss. What's up? The mansion's on lockdown and we got that x-ray machine you wanted—Ivan?" He glanced back. "What the fuck? Hurry your skinny ass up!"

Ivan nearly mowed him down with the machine. "Got it!"

* * *

><p>Hours later, I was completely exhausted.<p>

Once Dimitri had x-rayed me and found out that I had only tissue damage, no broken bones or severed arteries, he'd scrapped the wound for bullet fragments and disinfected it. After a few quick stitches, he carefully bandaged the injury where the bullet had entered and exited. Yeah, after all that, I was thankful for the Demerol.

"You're so good to me." I watched Dimitri snap off the blue latex gloves and throw all the bloody gauze and needles into the garbage.

He smiled but I could see the concern and exhaustion in his brown eyes, the hard lines on his face aged him about seven years. "I'm glad you're okay. You can't imagine how worried I was."

Dimitri got a warm washcloth from the bathroom and cleaned the last of the blood from my thighs.

"How worried were you?"

"I cannot explain it into words, Rose." He shrugged with a troubled expression. "It's just…an indescribable feeling. But I do know that I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It makes me sick just thinking about the frantic phone call I received from Lissa."

"Have I ever told you how beautiful your eyes are?" I touched his face.

"You should get some rest." Dimitri said gruffly, pulling back and standing up.

"But I'm in your room. In your bed."

"It's fine. I'll sleep in one of the guest bedrooms." He headed for the door. "Well, goodnight, Rose. If you need me…the cell is right there. You call. I'll be here in the blink of an eye. If you don't need me…ah, never mind. I'm going to check on you every few hours."

"Please…don't leave me. I'm scared. I can't be alone…I want someone with me."

"I'll get Lissa—"

"I need you, Dimitri. _You._" My voice rose and lowered, cracked. He froze with his hand on the doorknob. "Sleep with me. Please."

He turned around and faced me with the most tranquil expression. "Okay. I will, Roza."

"Thank you," I said. "But first…can you get me some food? I'm starved."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Yes." Nodding, he disappeared.

About fifteen minutes later, he came back with a silver tray balanced in his arms.

I instantly perked up at the wonderful smell. "Whatcha' got?"

"Leftovers. I'm sorry…Opal was asleep and I was too tired to cook something. So I just heated this up in the microwave." He locked the door. "Lissa fell asleep in the hallway. Christian just picked her up and took her home."

I nodded, licking my lips. "Can you be more specific as to what's on that tray?"

"Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, sourdough bread, green beans. And for dessert, two slices of black forest cake."

"Yum."

Dimitri placed the tray on the middle of the mattress before sliding under the covers.

"Hey, Comrade?"

"Yes." He looked at me.

I grabbed his face and planted a hard one on his lips. "Sorry. I don't know where that urge came from. I just really had to kiss you."

His smile was a divine one. "Don't ever be sorry." His long fingers traced down my cheek, brushed a few stray locks out of my eyes. "You are so beautiful."

I pressed my forehead to his. "Only because of you."

"You are so wrong about that," Dimitri unwrapped the fork from the napkin and held it up. "What would you like first?"

"Piece of turkey. But don't use the silverware."

He picked up a slice of meat with his fingers and brought it to my mouth. I bit in and chewed.

"How is it?"

"Delicious." I swallowed.

All the turkey was soon cleared as Dimitri fed me piece after piece, I ate from his hand.

"I want the mash potatoes and bread next."

My Russian god picked up a fresh roll, scooped some potatoes on it, drenched it in gravy, and fed me that too.

I soon cleared the whole plate—excluding the vegetables, I wouldn't go anywhere near those—with Dimitri's help.

"Aren't you hungry?" I asked as he handed me a water bottle.

He inclined his head to the pieces of black forest cake. "Yes. That's why I brought two slices."

Dimitri went for the fork but I stopped him. "No. You fed me. Now let me feed you."

He smiled breathtakingly. "I'd like that, Roza. I'd like that a lot."

* * *

><p><strong>IPOV<strong>:

The air hockey table beeped as Darius made the final score.

"I hate you." I muttered, tilting my head back and polishing off the last of the Heineken.

Darius grinned before shoving yet another chocolate chip cookie into his mouth.

"How many is that, big boy? Your fifth or sixth one tonight?"

He bit into another cookie. "Fourteenth, actually. And don't look at me like that. You know I eat when I'm stressed."

"You eat all the damn time, everyday, all day." I said. "Stress has nothing to do with it."

"I need to keep in top physical condition."

"Then go lift a car or something," I rubbed my face. "Alright. I'm gonna go crash, my brother. See you in the morning."

I patted his back hard and headed for the stairs.

"Do you think it was a random attack?" Darius asked.

I stopped walking and turned to face him. "The man didn't even attempt to rob them. Didn't mess with Lissa. He shot Rose in the leg, D. The _leg_. If he wanted to kill her, he easily could have. Now you tell me if you think that was a random attack."

"You're right. Someone is obviously trying to send a message to the Boss." Darius paced back and fourth. "God, I wish I'd had just one moment alone with that fucker. Just one moment. When I do find him, I'ma pop a cap in his ass, and then I'm going to beat the shit out of him for what he did to Rose. And after that? I'm going to castrate the son of a bitch—"

"Chill, man."

"No. I'm done. It's your turn to have at him. So what do you plan on doing with my sloppy seconds?" He smiled crookedly.

I rolled my eyes. "See you in the morning, brother. Make sure to keep an eye on those security cams."

"Will do."

* * *

><p><strong>DPOV: <strong>

Roza was sound asleep on my bed. She looked so beautiful and peaceful. Her dark hair tangled, eyes squeezed shut, lips parted, snoring lightly.

The Demerol put her into a deep sleep and I was glad. She needed the rest so her body could heal.

My eyes flickered down to the wound on her leg. The bandages and blood were so foreign against her soft, perfect thighs.

I growled as I thought of what happened earlier tonight. I couldn't imagine how frightened she must have been when that man had surprised attacked her. I should have been there. I should have never let her leave the mansion without protection. My protection.

Hell, I shouldn't have let her leave the mansion. Period.

I pictured the man in the ski mask running up to Rose and startling her, then pulling the gun out and leveling it at her body.

Then I saw the tip of his finger pressing against the trigger and heard the _pop _of the shot…

A lick of pain was on my palm. Glancing down, I realized that I'd been squeezing the handle of my sawed off so tightly that my skin bled. The need to protect Roza ran so deep that it scared me.

_If anything were to happen to her…_

I shook my head to clear the negative thoughts. No. I needed to stay strong for her. I _would _stay strong for her.

Realizing that it would scare Roza if she woke up and saw that I had a gun in my hand, I gently set the sawed off on the nightstand beside me. It was close enough that if I needed it, I could grab it immediately.

I wrapped my arms around her small body and nuzzled her neck, wishing that Roza would allow me to protect her forever.

God help whoever did this to her. Because when I found him, I was going to kill him with my bare hands.

And as for Roza…she wasn't going anywhere. Not until I knew it was safe.


	9. Chapter 9: Patience

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p><strong>3 weeks later…<strong>

**RPOV: **

"Hey, doll face. What's up?"

My head snapped up. The person standing there instantly made me smile. Mia. She was wearing a gorgeous summer dress, the color a vibrant peach, making her pale skin radiate. Her brilliant blond hair was down and wavy today, hanging just past her slender shoulders.

"Hey, shorty." My limp was barely noticeable as I ran around the desk to squeeze her in a fierce hug, thanks to my rapidly healing injuries. The bullet wounds were just little pink flesh circles on my thigh now. "What are you doing here?"

Though Mia and I had our differences in high school—her starting nasty rumors about me being extremely promiscuous, me lighting her car on fire before dumping it into a river—we'd actually become great friends after we graduated. She wasn't half bad once you got past her plastic walls and got to really know her. Plus, she was fiercely loyal and protective of the people she loved…and the girl had eternal style.

What more could you ask for in a friend?

Mia slid the white over-sized sunglasses from her nose, up to the top of her head. "I'm taking you out to lunch-"

"No. You're not."

At the sound of Dimitri's deep voice, both of our heads snapped up. My Russian God was standing in the hallway of his office, along with his financial advisor Darius, and his best friend/business partner Ivan.

"Who the hell are you?" Mia demanded. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to interrupt someone while they're talking?"

I nearly laughed. The girl had guts. That's why I adored her so much.

Darius took a step forward, crossing his incredibly thick arms over his broad chest. "Didn't your mother ever tell you to shut up when it's not your place to speak up?"

Mia growled, her tiny hands balling into fists. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to treat a lady like you are treating me right now?"

"I'd hardly call you a lady."

We should have done something to stop the two of them. Really. We should have. But it was like watching a car crash…you just couldn't peel your eyes away. With amused expressions, Dimitri, Ivan, Sydney, and I watched the two of them go at it like a ping pong match.

"_Excuse_ me? What is your name?"

Darius didn't say anything.

"I asked you what your name was! Answer me!"

"You can call me Big D."

"_Big D?_" Mia's delicate face scrunched up. "What the hell kind of name is that?"

"Would you like to find out?"

Her cheeks flushed red with anger. "You! _You!_ You bastard!"

Darius clucked his tongue and whistled. "Great comeback. I'm going to give you an A in originality."

"You want to hear something original?" Mia asked.

Mockingly, he leaned forward with his ear perked up; pretending to be very interested in what she had to say. "What is it, Little Firecracker? I'm just jumping in my pants to hear! Yippee!"

"That hair of yours…" Mia took a few steps forward, pointing at the black mane that fell all the way to the small of his back. "It…it…you look like Rapunzel!"

Darius took a step forward and the two were just inches away. At six-foot-nine, he towered over her five-foot-one body. I gave Mia props, she was either really brave or really stupid to challenge a guy who's nipples were above the top of her head. Not to mention Darius was all muscles and had a hundred and eighty pounds on her.

Yeah…there was quite a difference in their sizes.

"I bet you'd like me to let my hair down so you could get in to my castle, wouldn't you?"

"I'd rather have someone stab me in the eye with a fork."

"That can be arranged."

"Alright, that's enough." Dimitri cleared his throat. "I am her boss. Rose isn't allowed to leave the mansion right now."

Mia glanced back at me, mouth agape. "What? You can't be serious."

"It's true," I said. "I'd usually object to this whole prisoner thing, but after getting shot…well, I'd like to _not_ have that happen again. This is the safest place for me to be. Besides, what's in the outside world that's not in this mansion? This place is fucking packed with entertainment. 'Scuse my French."

"Fine. That would be fine with me." Mia said, breaking eye contact with Darius and walking back over to me. Her cheeks were like two red apples and she was breathing heavily. It was amusing seeing her all worked up. "Can we go eat down stairs or something?" _Can we get away from him?_ Is what she really meant to say.

"Sure. Let me just file the rest of these papers and then we're outta here."

"It's about our time for lunch too…mind if we join you?" Darius asked.

I said _no_ at the same time Mia hollered _yes_.

She hit me with a blazing glare.

"I mean…if you have to," I cleared my throat. "Then I guess you can, I don't know, eat with us…if you have to."

"This belly isn't patient," Ivan laughed as he patted Darius's rumbling abdomen. "So we _do_ have to eat with you."

I finished slipping the last paper in the X file, slammed the cabinet shut with my foot, and stood from my chair, hiking up my jeans.

Dimitri had been awesome to me ever since the parking lot incident three weeks ago. Not only was working optional, but I got to wear whatever I wanted to. Sure, he probably wasn't happy about all the old jeans and faded T-shirts I wore—considering I had a closet full of brand new designer clothes in my room—but he kept the mouth shut and dealt with it, even though I'd caught him glaring at the holes in my attire a few times today.

Minutes later, we'd all made our way down stairs to the polished, cherry-wood dining table. The two white candles were on each side in their oriental designed silver holders. The gleaming chandelier hung above our heads, and though it wasn't lit, it sparkled brilliantly from the sun seeping through the massive glass windows.

Ivan came out of the kitchen with a bottle of white wine and glasses. He set them all around the table and poured.

After tucking in my chair like the gentleman that he was, Dimitri took a seat beside me. Mia slid in on my right and across from her was…Darius. On each side of him, was Sydney and Ivan with his signature Armani suit and shoulder-length blond hair pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck.

Looking around to make sure no one noticed, I slipped my arm under the table and grabbed Dimitri's hand.

From the corner of my eye, I saw his lips twist into a small smile. I couldn't help but grin as I set his palm on my good thigh, probably a little higher than it needed to be. He hissed under his breath and I put my hand over his.

"What's Opal making us to eat?" I asked, rubbing my leg against his.

"I'm off today, actually." Came a voice behind us with a thick lick of a French accent. "Sorry…but no cooking for me."

There was a chorus of groans around the table.

"Oh, come on, O. You can't let us down like that." Darius said. "You're the only one who knows how to make a decent meal around here."

"It's true." Ivan agreed. "Plus…the big boy wants some food. Now."

Darius nodded. "You don't want to see me when I'm hungry."

"Sorry, boys." Opal came in to my line of sight and my jaw nearly hit the floor. She was out of her Chef uniform and wearing a flowing lavender gown that gave a lot of attention to her butt area and did things for her blue eyes that hypnotized you. Her golden hair was pinned up into chignon with a few pearl clips. Chunky gold earrings hung from her lobes. Yeah, she looked…beautiful. Okay, beautiful didn't even begin to cover it. She was magnificent.

I really wished she had on that baggy, greasy Chef top and unflattering hat.

When Opal sat down beside Dimitri, I yanked my hand and leg away from his, a surge of jealousy boiling in my veins.

Feeling very self-conscious and ugly in my jeans and raggedy T-shirt, I did the first thing that came to mind.

Reaching forward, I pretended to go for my glass but _accidentally_ knocked it over. The white wine spilled all over the cherry wood and dripped straight into my lap. I faked a surprised gasp. "Oh, my!"

Dimitri grinned as he helped me wipe the liquid from the table with napkins. I had a feeling he knew what I was up to.

After it was all cleaned up, I glanced down at my jeans. There was a big wet spot in the crotch area, like I'd pissed my pants. Perfect. "Woops! Well, it looks like I gotta go change."

Time to find the sluttiest thing in your closet, I thought. My feet zoomed up the stairs and I burst into my bedroom.

Fifteen minutes later, I walked back into the dining room. "Okay, sorry bout that. Just couldn't stand the thought of being in those sticky jeans. Ready to eat everyone? I'm starved."

There was a collection of gasps around the table and Opal's eyes practically bulged out of her head. I had a childish urge to point my finger in her face and laugh, _you ain't hotter than me, bitch! _

Tapping into my mature side, I cleared my throat, smiled, and took the seat I'd been in earlier.

The blood-red dress I was wearing was so tight that I found it hard to breathe, and the skimpy spaghetti straps bit into my shoulders. But on the bright side, it did give some great boob and ass action, which is exactly what I was going for.

Purposely, I flipped my dark hair over my shoulder.

"You little devil," Dimitri growled in my ear. "You are breathtaking."

I bit my lip to keep from smiling.

"You should go make lunch for everyone." Ivan said to Darius, who nodded and stood up.

"Any special orders, princess?" Darius's massive body leaned over the table. "Half a jelly bean and a celery stick? Or is that too much for you?"

"I'll have what everyone else is having." With the tone she was using, Mia might as well have told him to fuck off.

God, I was beginning to like her more and more…

Darius muttered something in Italian and strode out of the room, disappearing behind the kitchen's doors.

I felt something warm on my knee and realized it was Dimitri's hand. Without the jeans in our way, it was straight skin-to-skin contact. I shivered as his touch went a little higher, my body rising in goose bumps.

"So how's the new hotel in Redwood?" Opal asked, completely unaware of what was happening under the table, right next to her.

"Fine. It's actually going quite well." Dimitri's voice was all business and I wanted to laugh.

"Oh, really. How are the critics rating it?"

His hand slid up higher and I squeezed my eyes shut. "Good, very good. All five stars so far." His voice had become a little rougher, but anyone not paying attention wouldn't notice it.

"Hopefully it will stay that way." Opal took a sip of her wine.

"I am confident that it will." Dimitri said. I felt him slip fingers under my dress and hook one beneath my underwear, rubbing the satin back and forth, working it against my skin.

Darius burst through the door, a pizza box in one hand and plates in the other. "Hey man, can you grab the fries?" He asked Ivan as he set the marvelous smelling food on the table. The man nodded and stood up.

"Silverware, too. Please." Mia called out, earning a strange look from everyone at the table. Well everyone except Dimitri. He was busy massaging my hip and lower stomach…the skin that was dangerously close to another dangerous area. My eyes rolled back into my head and I had to scoot my chair back away from him before I did something...bad.

I did hook our legs together, though. That was nice. Really nice.

Darius set out the plates and napkins, then began to place two slices of pepperoni pizza on each plate.

A moment later, Ivan came out of the kitchen with a plate piled high with French fries, a bottle of ketchup, and a roll of silverware for Mia. He paused and stared at Darius getting everyone ready for lunch, his lips lifting into a smile. "You would make a great housewife, my brother."

"Thank you very much. That's what the ladies tell me." Darius sat down, piled three triangles of cheese and pepperoni on top of one another, and bit in.

From across the table, Mia made a sound of disgust. "Can I have my silverware, please?"

Ivan gave it to her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I bit in to my own slice. It was hot and cheesy and greasy. Just the way I liked it.

Beside me, I watched Mia use a fork to spear the triangle on her plate. Then, as if it was a thick steak, she cut the edge of the pizza off using the knife and brought it to her mouth. She continued to do this. Piece after piece. She scooped some fries on to her plate and used the fork to eat those too. The girl had amazing table manners.

I noticed that Darius was staring at her, too. He was on his god-only-knows slice of pizza when he abruptly busted out laughing.

Mia's head snapped up. "What's your problem?"

"You."

She patted her mouth with a napkin, folded the cloth and set it in her lap. "What do you mean _you_?"

"You are my problem, Little Firecracker. That's what I mean." Darius downed the rest of his white wine. "These are finger foods. Do you know what that means? You eat them with your fingers."

"I don't want to get messy."

"That's the fun of it," he said. "Don't you like to get down and dirty sometimes?"

Her eyes narrowed into slits. "Buzz off. You're like a bee that's bugging the F out of me."

"Got a problem saying _fuck_, Princess?" Darius's body rumbled with laughter, his tone mocking. "That word too good for your tongue?"

"D. Lay off." Dimitri warned.

"I will. I will. I promise, Boss." Darius held up his hands. "I just want to see the lady eat her food with her hands first. It would amuse me."

"Go jump off a cliff," Mia muttered. "That ought to keep you entertained."

"One bite, Princess. One bite and I'll leave you alone."

"Just one bite?"

"That's correct."

"With my fingers?"

"Yup."

"Fine," With angry and rough movements, Mia manhandled her pizza and tore in to its doughy flesh with her teeth. She chewed slowly. "Happy?"

Darius smiled brilliantly. "Like a kid on Christmas morning."

"Good," She wiped her hands and mouth with the napkin, took a gentle sip of wine. "Now leave me alone."

"Glad to."

During the rest of the meal, Mia and I got caught up on each others lives, Darius and Ivan and Sydney chatted up a storm, and Opal couldn't stop fucking flirting with Dimitri. She'd do little things that _really_ pissed me off, like touch his arm to emphasis something, smile and laugh at everything he said as if Dimitri was a goddamn comedian, and that flaunting of her breasts…the way she leaned forward, drawing attention to that graceful slit of cleavage.

God, I really had the urge to murder her. He was mine. And she needed to back off.

Wait…_mine?_ In what fucking universe?

I was really beginning to loose it.

Towards the end of lunch, Mia excused herself to go to the restroom and Darius jumped up to get more wine.

About fifteen minutes later, I wondered…"What's taking them so long?"

"Don't know." Sydney shrugged.

"I'm gonna go see." I stood up and headed for the nearest, luxurious bathroom.

As I turned the corner, I stopped dead in my tracks. I definitely found them. In the hallway outside the bathroom.

Mia was there with Darius…and the two were in a heavy make out session. Her small body was cradled in his thick arms, his large body crushing her against the wall, hands the size of bear paws riding up her dress.

Blushing, I tiptoed away and settled back in my seat.

"Where are they?" Opal asked.

"They're busy."

I was helping Ivan clear the table when Mia walked out of the hallway, lips swollen, hair tangled, dress a little out of place. Funny thing was, I don't think she realized it. Her eyes were glassy, her steps a little clumsy…her mind was still back with Darius.

"Hey." I smiled.

_No response._

"M, you okay?"

Her head jerked up. "What? I'm sorry. Did you call me?" She bit her elegant nails.

"Just seeing how you were doing."

"Fine," she said, a little breathless. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"No reason."

Darius strolled out of the kitchen a moment later with a bottle of wine, expression cool and clam, as if he didn't have a care in the world. I had to stifle a laugh. If that wasn't rehearsed, I didn't know what was.

_Yeah, just pretend that nothing happened,_ I thought as I stared at the two culprits. _But I know better. _

* * *

><p>Hours later, I opened the door to Victor's bedroom.<p>

"Hey, honey," He said, genuinely pleased to see me. "How are you? I've missed you."

"Sorry, Uncle V." I rubbed my eyes as I took flopped onto his bed, utterly exhausted. "Just been so busy, and lately I haven't been sleeping very well. I've been meaning to come and see you—"

"Don't apologize," Victor waved his hand dismissively. "You're here now. That's what matters."

I smiled. "So what's on the T.V.?" I grabbed one of the pillows and propped my head on it.

"Fast and the Furious."

"Oh, goodie." I noticed a plate on the bed with a few cookies. I grabbed one. "Vin Diesel is hot."

"Although I am a heterosexual male that loves beautiful women, I'd have to agree with you on that one, dear."

We both laughed.

As I watched the movie with Victor, the only family I had left, I thought back to my mother Janine and that awful phone call I'd received from the police just a few years back. They told me that she'd died of heroine overdose and they'd found her body in an old abandoned warehouse.

How fucking ironic, considering that she'd left me in one at sixteen years old and disappeared. Living on my own was tough, but I managed to get by. Barely.

I wondered if my father cared that she was no longer walking this earth. Probably not. It wasn't like he cared back then, when I was an infant and he walked out on my mother and me, leaving us homeless.

I guess I'd always had problems with abandonment. Maybe that's why I was so cruel and nasty towards Dimitri at times. I had a hard time opening my heart up.

The movie ended and I noticed that Victor was asleep. After covering him with a blanket and pressing a kiss to his forehead, I softly shut the door and headed for Dimitri's room.

I found him in his bed, leaning over stacks of paperwork. God, did the man ever take a break?

I knocked lightly on the open door. His brown eyes lifted.

I smiled. "Hi, stranger."

Immediately, he stood from the bed and came towards me. "Where were you?"

"Downstairs. Spending some quality time with the uncle." Unable to help myself, I pulled him to me, pressing my chest to his, wrapping my arms around his neck. "I missed you."

Our lips brushed for a couple of seconds. Dimitri pressed his forehead to mine. "Are you okay? Something was bothering you at lunch."

My blood ran cold and I abruptly pulled back from him, wrapping my arms around myself. "Nothing's wrong."

His voice was a deep growl. "Don't lie to me."

"Do you like Opal?"

Dimitri seemed thrown off by my question for a moment, but then realization settled into his dark eyes. "She works for me Rose. That's about as far as our relationship goes. I have no choice but to be polite to her when she speaks to me."

"You were flirting with her at lunch."

"I was not." he said. "Were you even listening to anything we said? It was all business. All about the new hotels I recently bought. Nothing else. Hell, to be brutally honest, I didn't get a word in. The woman likes to talk. A lot."

"But she's beautiful." I said. "Like really, really beautiful."

"Of course she is," Dimitri said. "Anyone with eyes can see that."

"True." A hand went to my tight throat. I massaged it. "So do you love Opal?"

His eyes went so wide that they were white all around. He cleared his throat harshly. "No, Rose." The bastard actually had the nerve to laugh. "Absolutely not."

"But she's beautiful."

"You say that likes it's the answer to everything in the world." Dimitri smiled. "Just because a woman is attractive, doesn't mean that I love her. I. Do. Not. Love. Opal."

"Are you sure about that?" I smiled. "Because she's really beautiful. You may want to rethink your answer, Mr. Belikov."

"Roza," Strong arms wrapped around me, mouthwatering aftershave invaded my nose. "You are the woman I love. There has never been another. Never will be."

"Really?" There were a billion butterflies in my stomach. I'd never felt so happy and special before.

"Yes. From the bottom of my heart, Yes." Dimitri's eyes held mine. Those bottomless pits lighting my insides on fire. Awakening all of my senses.

"Prove it."

He inclined his head to the massive, canopied bed. "Come with me. I will prove it to you all night long. Just give me one chance."

I shook my head. "No, I didn't mean sex—"

His eyes flared with anger, cutting off my words. "With us, it would never be just sex." His words were sharper than a blade.

"I want you to prove it in another way." I said. "Make me believe that you really love me and not Opal."

"Seriously? Opal? She is still in our conversation. Why?" Dimitri said.

I just stared at him and repeated myself, "Make me believe that you really love me and not Opal."

"Hmm…how can I explain this in a simplistic way?" He paused, hungry eyes trained on my neck. He lowered his head, leaving a blazing trail of kisses, licks, bites. "You are my 72 inch HD plasma screen and she is one of those 1950 T.V.'s with the huge antennas and bad reception. You are a five course meal and she is an item off the dollar menu at McDonald's. You are the worlds most expensive hotel and she's one of those crappy ones in the middle of nowhere with cockroaches. You are a soft bed with silk sheets and tons of pillows; she is the cold and hard ground that provides me with no comfort."

I had to giggle at that one. "Okay…I get it."

"You feel me?" His lips lifted crookedly. One of those careless, boyish smiles that made my heart jump into my throat.

"I feel you. I just…it's just…I can't stand the thought of you being with so many other women." I rubbed my face.

"I am very sorry that I hurt you. I wish I could erase the past…but I can't. What's done is done." His voice was sincere. I laid my head against his hard chest, hugging him.

"Do you love any of them?" I asked.

"God, no. Never." His hand ran up and down my back softly, soothingly. "It was just a release, Roza. After all…I am a man. And after you'd been gone all those years, I gave up hope that I'd ever see you again. So I…uh…I made a lot of mistakes. I was just trying to get over you…but it never worked."

I nodded, feeling the sting of tears. Blinking them away, I asked, "And you used protection?"

"Always." That answer was like whiskey to my wounds, it made everything better, but it still stung like hell.

"Okay." I whispered.

"May I ask you one question?"

"Of course."

He cleared his throat and sounded hesitant, like he didn't want to hear my answer but had to. "How many lovers…have you had? Aside from me?"

"Well you were my first, you know that right?" I craned my neck to look up at him.

Dimitri nodded. "Yes."

"Well after we broke up…I had this one night fling with Andre. That's all it was." I said. "And then I started dating Adrian for a few months…and um. We had…well, you know."

The grip he had on my arms tightened, he squeezed his eyes shut in agony. A moment later he opened them, nodded, and embraced me. "Thank you for telling me that."

"I'm sorry if it hurt you."

"Don't be. I needed to know."

After giving him a tender kiss, I eyed the bed longingly.

Dimitri smiled. "Are you tired?"

Yawing and nodding, I said, "A little bit."

He picked me up effortlessly and walked to the silk duvet. He lay down and brought me with him, cradling me over his body.

"Hey, Comrade?"

"Hmm." He stroked my hair as I felt his heartbeat beneath his chest.

"Do you ever think about making love to me?"

I felt his sharp intake of breath, his ribs lowering, stomach falling. "Yes. I wish I could right now."

I pressed my lips to his skin and smiled, just so he could feel it. "Good."

"Do you ever think about making love to me?" Dimitri asked.

"Always. I want you so badly sometimes that it drives me mad—whoa. Whoa. Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

He kicked his head back and laughed. "My gun is in the top drawer of the nightstand, Roza."

Biting my lip and grinning, I said, "So you are just happy to see me?"

Dimitri rolled us on to our sides, kissing me. "I'm always happy to see you."

"I love you." I blurted.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Given the way his whole body stiffened like it was set in concrete, I'd say he wasn't expecting that.

"I just want you to know that," I cursed, wanting to punch my own damn self in the face. "Okay. I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have said that. It kind of killed the moment. Just forget-"

He cupped my face and planted his mouth hard on mine. "God, I love to hear you say that. It's been so long. I love you too, Roza. So much."


	10. Chapter 10: Breaking down Walls

**A/N: **Late update! I know! I know! Moving is hectic and I've barely had the time to sit down for five minutes, let alone write a whole new chapter. Bear with me, I'm trying my best to keep up with Fanfiction...but it's hard sometimes when real life gets in the way. Thank you all for being patient! I'm working extra hard :-)

Some reviewers were worried that I started _The Russian's worth the price I pay_ and wouldn't finish it. Rest assured, I never abandon a story. _**NEVER!**_ I promise I will complete this one, along with my others. Giving up is unacceptable to me.

Special thanks to **Deliciouse, ForeverAnAngel13, and Do'B** for providing me with great feedback.

Until next time my loyal readers,

Breanna**  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p><strong>DPOV: <strong>

"I fired Opal."

Darius's electric-blue eyes widened and his face paled with horror, as if he'd just received news that World War III had started. "What?"

I repeated myself.

"What the fuck man?" His massive body stood up, all rippling muscles. "You fired the best chef here? That woman was a queen in the kitchen."

"In the bedroom, too. But that's irrelevant right now." Ivan didn't look so happy at his desk either. "Mind telling us what's up, boss?"

Their glowers burned my face but I ignored them as I sat down at my desk and emailed spread sheets to an important client. "She came to my room last night."

"Okay." Darius dragged out the word.

"Naked. She came to my room last night..._naked._"

Mouths dropped open in shock.

"Shit. No way, man." One of them mumbled.

"Rose and I were in the shower-"

"What were you two doing?" Darius grinned. That fucking troublemaker. He lived and breathed sex. It was a wonder how the man got out of bed and dragged himself to work. Most of the time he was discreet about the women he brought to his room, but then again, it wasn't all that hard. It's not like he ever kept them longer than a day or two.

"Washing each other's back."

His grin got even wider. "Uh-huh, Suuuuuure."

"No. I'm serious," I cleared my throat. "Really, that's all it was. Rose even wore a bathing suit-"

"You get a BJ?"

He caught the look I gave him and took the hint. Smart man.

"Anyways. That's beside the point. To make this simple and sweet, Rose came out of the bathroom, found Opal lying on my bed. Wasn't too happy about it. And you can figure the rest out yourself."

"So this is all for a chick? You fired our queen chef because of a female? That's low."

I stared at him.

"Kidding, boss. You know I wasn't being serious." Darius said. "Honestly, I think that's bullshit what Opal did…trying to screw up the beautiful thing you and your girl have going. Besides, we're down for Rose. You love her. We love her."

Ivan nodded in agreement.

"So are you still unhappy with my decision?"

"My belly is. Brain's not." Darius said.

Ivan shook his head. He'd always been a man of few words. I guess that's why the two of us were so close.

I chuckled. "Well, I hired a new chef. One that came highly recommended. He's flying in from Europe. He'll be here in a few days."

"What's his name?" Rose strolled in to the office, balancing three mugs of black coffee in her elegant hands. She gave one to both men, who said their thanks.

"Holy crap." She stared up at Darius. "Where the hell did all your hair go?"

I grinned as Darius averted his eyes to the ground and ran his hand through his new chopped, military haircut. "I, uh, I cut it…for work purposes—"

"Mia made fun of him and he didn't like it," Ivan laughed. "So he cut it off. Just for her."

"That's so not true!" Darius growled, but his cheeks were red. It was amusing seeing a grown man, the size of him, blushing over a woman he'd met only once.

"Cut the shit man," Ivan said. "You're in to her and you know it."

Darius crossed his beefy arms. "She's annoying as hell. And I don't like her. I just want her in my bed. End of story."

"Too bad you cut it off," Rose resumed a thoughtful expression. "Mia told me that she loved your long hair."

Darius' mouth fell open, he cursed nastily. "Really…Mia…she liked it?"

"Yep."

Behind Darius, Ivan cracked a grin. "That's alright. You can always get hair extensions and then she can brush it for you."

While the two men continued to go after each other, my eyes flickered back to the most important person in my life.

Smiling so sexily, Rose strolled over to my desk and handed me a steaming mug. "For you, Comrade." Blood rushed straight to the appropriate areas. _That damn nickname…_

"Thank you very much." I cupped her face and kissed her lovingly.

_Ahem. _That was Ivan clearing his throat.

"Mind if we join in?" Darius asked.

I was about to tell him off when Rose lifted her arm and gave him the bird.

"Kidding, _Tesoro_. I'm not into foursomes, or guys…or red gag balls for that matter."

Rose giggled against my lips, sending vibrations between our joined mouths.

"Oh, come on. Are you kids done yet?" Ivan groaned.

Rose straddled my hips, kissing me harder. Holding her by her sweet bottom, I picked her up effortlessly and set her on my desk. Those glorious legs wrapped around my waist.

Roza and I pulled back at the same time, laughing.

She smiled with swollen lips, but desire was deep in those brown eyes. "I think we're done. How about you, Mr. Belikov? Do you think we're done?"

"For now."

Ivan and Darius made sounds of relief.

Rose hopped off the desk and smoothed out her skirt. "Who's the new chef?"

"His name is Pavel."

"Oh, he sounds hot." she said. "I bet he's hot. Is he hot, Dimitri?"

Anger and jealousy and possessiveness ran throughout my body, a burning current. Gritting my teeth, I said, "I haven't met him yet."

Brown eyes narrowed. "Everything okay with you?"

"Yes." I tapped my pen against the oak.

"Really? Because I don't think you are," Rose said. "Just because I sleep in your bed every night and I kiss you…a lot, doesn't mean that we're together. So relax on the whole boyfriend and girlfriend shit, will ya? I most certainly do not find possessiveness attractive. And frankly, you have no right to act like that."

With one last hard look, Rose left the room.

Darius laughed. "I believe you just got your balls handed to you, boss."

"No. I think his balls went out the room with her," Ivan grinned. "Don't worry, though. She's probably got them tucked away nice and safe in her purse."

I growled. "Get back to work."

* * *

><p><strong>RPOV:<strong>

Later that night, after work, I went up to Dimitri's bedroom to apologize to him. I realized that I'd been sort of mean and nasty towards him earlier, and I had no right to talk to him like that. After all, no matter how much I hated to think about it, he was my boss.

Opening the door, I walked inside and turned on the lights. "Comrade?" I gazed around, searching. He wasn't there.

"Comrade?" I checked the luxurious bathroom. Nada.

Groaning in impatience, I headed downstairs, my feet a blur slapping against the marble. Halfway down, I ran by Mia and Lissa.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, confused but extremely happy to see them.

"Does there have to be a reason?" Mia grinned, squeezing me in to a fierce hug. "We just missed you so much that we had to come and see you."

"How's the thigh?" Lissa went in for her own hug.

"Nothing but scar tissue." I smiled when she pulled back.

"That's great," Lissa said. "I was so worried about you. It's such a relief to know that you're healing. I can actually sleep now."

"You are too awesome. You know that? Too awesome."

"So, where you headed to? The kitchen or something?"

Narrowing my eyes, I said, "I do other things in this mansion besides eating."

"Doubt that."

"Actually, I was looking for D-"

"Darius?" Mia interrupted, classic face features lighting up like a Christmas tree. And that's when I noticed what she was wearing. The tightest black jeans ever known to mankind, a pale pink tank top that showed a lot of belly action, and wedges that gave her about four to five inches. Thank God. The girl needed it when she was around Darius.

"Dimitri. I am looking for Dimitri." I grinned inwardly at the disappointment in her expression.

"Oh."

"But this is the time he usually works out in the gym with Ivan and Darius."

Blue eyes widened and sparkled. "You know what? I just canceled my gym membership a few weeks ago and I've been in need of a good workout. I'm feeling kind of flabby."

Lissa and I glanced down at her flat stomach, then we met each others eyes, smiling and shaking our heads. The girl was out of her mind if she thought she was out of shape.

I pondered the thought of working out with Dimitri. Him with no shirt on. Covered in sweat. Sparring with Darius. "You know what…I'm in need of a workout, too. Let's go."

Lissa frowned. "Don't I get a say in this? What if I don't wanna go."

"Too bad." Mia grabbed Lissa's arm and practically dragged the poor girl up the stairs and in to my room.

Mia went straight to my closet and started pulling things out. "I need something to wear for the gym."

"Help yourself, why don't ya." I muttered dryly.

She grabbed a designer yellow sweat outfit that had yet to be worn, ripped off the tag, and tossed it to Lissa. "Put that on. Now."

My best friend rolled her eyes and complied with Blondie's orders.

Before Mia could boss me around and tell me what to wear, I grabbed an old pair of black sweats and a white T-shirt. After tying my hair up in to a sloppy bun, Lissa and I laid on my bed, waiting not so patiently.

"Done." Mia exclaimed proudly, twirling around.

My eyes practically jumped out of my head. "That's…_nice_."

"And very revealing."

"Yeah. Leaves a lot to the imagination."

Mia straightened her baby-blue sports bra and nylon, barely-there black shorts. "Believe it or not, girls, I'm not doing this to be sexy. I can't be confined by tons of clothing. I need to be able to move. I need to be free."

She rolled her eyes at the look we gave her. "Let's go."

Minutes later, we were just outside the gym. The three of us walked up to the glass windows, gazed in, and gasped.

Three huge men. All with their shirts off.

We couldn't stop staring. My eyes were trained on Dimitri and his body like that of a God's. Even though the other two men had better bodies than the models in Calvin Klein ads, they held no interest for me. I was blind to their looks. The only man that mattered was Dimitri.

"That's a beautiful sight right there." Mia murmured.

"Beautiful." Lissa said dazedly, nodding her head.

"Absolutely beautiful." I agreed.

Almost as if they had sensed our presence, all three of their eyes shifted to the glass windows. Two sets of piercing blue. And one set of intoxicating brown.

God, I nearly melted in to a puddle on the floor from the desire that over took Dimitri's gaze. He was hungry...for me.

We quickly went inside.

"Hey, Comrade." I smiled, and like a love struck fool, waved at him.

He bit and licked his lips in response, those bottomless eyes saying more than words ever could.

Darius whistled through his teeth, blue eyes like the bottom of a flame. "And the princess is back. You just couldn't get enough of me the last time you were here-"

Mia cursed. "What the hell happened to your hair?"

Darius smoothed a hand over his cropped black mane. "Didn't notice it when you were eye fucking me outside that glass?"

"Nope," Lissa popped the _P_. "She was too busy looking at your body to notice anything above those huge shoulders—geeze. I just have to ask, how wide are they?"

His grin was one of masculine pride as he told her.

"Holy…"

"Shit." I finished.

"So, what are you ladies doing?" Ivan asked as he finished his push ups.

Mia went for the rack of weights on the far wall and grabbed the small 5lb set. "Just here to pump some iron."

"I'd pump your iron any day." Darius muttered, going for the largest set of weights.

Strangely, their choice of barbells really described their relationship. He was the biggest, she the smallest. He was all black and menace, she was pink and preppy. He worried about protecting the lives of people he loved, while she worried about running out of her favorite lip gloss. He'd mastered everything there is to know about guns, while she mastered every store in Missoula's mall.

I tuned them out as they batted off. Lissa went for the treadmill.

Something wrapped around me from behind and I stiffened for a moment before relaxing when I realized it was Dimitri.

"Roza," He purred in my ear, making me shiver. "I want to apolo—"

I spun around and put my finger to his full lips. "Shh. Come here. To the bathroom. I want to tell you something."

Once inside with the doors locked, I ran full force at the God reincarnate and tackled him, hooking my knees around his waist and kissing him with everything in me.

Dimitri, not expecting my attack, stumbled back a few steps in surprise. He quickly regained his composure. Chuckling a little, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me back, pressing me to the wall.

As a lick of pain shot through my skull from banging my head against the tile, I grabbed his face roughly, moaned desperately, and crushed my mouth to his so hard I knew I was leaving bruises.

We pulled back, gasping like we'd been held under water for several minutes.

"What did you want to talk about?" He licked the edges of my teeth, my lips, my jaw…

"Just wanted to say I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier," I closed my eyes and arched as his teeth sunk into the skin of my neck, not to the point of drawing blood, but very close.

"What if I don't accept your apology, Roza?" Dimitri smirked, obviously pleased with my body's reaction to him. I was the puppet and he was the master. He was in complete control of me.

"Then I'd have to make it up to you in another way."

"What would you do?" His eyes grew black. Nothing but hunger and possessiveness and male power.

Fear twisted in my gut, but desire was quick in its heels.

"Say it," He growled in my ear, pushing his hips in to mine, making me gasp. "Say it. I want to hear the words leave your lips. Tell me what you would do to make it up to me. _Tell me._"

Gathering up all the strength I could, I unhooked my legs from his waist, dropped to my feet, and spun him around so that his back was pressed against the wall. I was in control now. The ball was in my court. He was powerless to stop me.

"You want to know what I would do to you." As Dimitri nodded, I leaned on my tip toes and whispered in his ear.

When I pulled back, the want and need in his eyes was obvious as was the strain in his pants.

His Adam's apple convulsed as he swallowed hard.

"Do you have anything to say?"

There were a few moments of heavy silence before he spoke, "I accept your apology."

"Good," I pecked him once on the lips. "Now let's go."

Dimitri made a deep sound of protest but reluctantly joined me out in the gym.

"Hit me! Just once, come on!" Darius leaned forward and stuck out his jaw. "One time, princess. Show me that you're not weak."

Mia was in front of the giant male, pissed off as hell. Her cheeks were the color of a stop sign; her pale skin covered in a fresh layer of sweat, making blond curls stick to her forehead. She breathed heavily, trembling all over. "Bastard!" She balled her right hand in to a fist and swung.

Mia hit her target.

I was about to step in and put a stop to all of it when Dimitri draped an arm over my shoulders. I glanced up. He shook his head and mouthed 'No.' Then he gave me a reassuring smile and inclined his head, indicating for me to watch.

"Did a feather just land on my cheek?" Darius mocked. "Because it sure felt like it. Damn, you don't pack much strength behind your hit—"

_Wham. _

Darius's words were cut off as his head kicked back from an unexpected blow caused by Mia.

"Damn! That hurt like a bitch!" Mia howled, cradling the hand she'd used to hit him.

A tiny line of blood trickled out of his mouth as he grinned proudly. "Fuck, that stings. But wow…girl's got a killer left hook." He wiped the crimson from his chin, his blue eyes gleaming with disbelief, wonder, and…lust.

"Oh, boy." I murmured. Glancing over at Lissa, I found her laughing. She couldn't believe what had just happened either.

Dimitri gave my bottom one last squeeze before walking over to the other side of the gym, making me gasp in surprise and then give a very blissful sigh.

As I did my warm up stretches, I watched Dimitri grab hold of a bar and hoist himself up.

Nearly loosing my balance on a leg stretch as his long and lean body went up and down, up and down, I cleared the R-rated images of him naked in bed from my mind and tried to focus on something else.

_The elliptical trainer. _

Thank you Jesus.

I ran over and took the machine beside my best friend.

"Ivan is such a God…" She murmured as her legs slowed down on the exercise bike she was on. Those jade-green eyes were glassy, as if she were deep and far gone in a really good day dream.

"Did you dump Christian?" Hope sparked in my chest, giving me the strength and motivation to push my body extra hard on the elliptical trainer. The sting in my thigh from the bullet wound was a little bitch, but I pushed past the pain and kept going.

"No."

"Then why are you undressing Ivan with your eyes?"

"Just because I am off the market doesn't mean that I can't appreciate the scenery."

I shrugged. "True."

* * *

><p>The next day, I stormed in to Dimitri's office after a <em>very<em> long talk I'd had on the phone.

"You have to give Tasha her job back,"

The God reincarnates head snapped up. "Pardon me?"

"I talked to her," I explained. "Did you know that she was related to my best friend's boyfriend?"

His full lips pursed. "I was aware of that, yes."

"Then why the hell did you fire her?"

"Whoa, whoa." Darius stood up. "I don't mean to interrupt or be disrespectful or anything like that, but don't you remember what that woman did to my boss? Totally took advantage of him. Jumped on his bones and held him down while he screamed for someone to save him—"

Dimitri swore in Russian as his hand sliced through the air, signaling for his financial advisor to be quiet.

"Sorry, boss, just trying to help." Darius dropped to the couch again and zipped his trap.

"I was there." I glared at him. "I know what happened. Tasha didn't do any of that."

"Yes, none of that." Dimitri leaned back in his chair. "She simply stripped naked and kissed me. That's _entirely_ normal."

"I cannot believe you're not outraged!" Darius said in his signature thick Italian accent. "You claim this is the man you love, but you are not defending him. Tasha tried to steal him from you. Be pissed off about it! Break some windows, key her car, put a bag of dog shit on her porch and light it on fire…I don't know. Just at least show some emotion!"

"Just because I did not kick her ass when I had the chance, does not mean that I still don't have homicidal urges and thoughts. Believe me, I do." I paced the room, wearing down the fine carpet. "All I am saying is that the girl made a mistake that she regrets deeply…and I think you should give her a second chance."

Dimitri looked thoughtful. "You do realize what you are asking of me, Roza?"

I smiled. "I love when you call me that."

"I love the way it feels leaving my lips to your ears—"

"Enough sappy shit," Darius said. "Answer his question."

Dimitri's sharp eyes flickered over to his financial advisor and flared black with anger. "Talk to her with respect."

Darius lowered his head slightly and murmured his apologies.

The God reincarnate focused his attention back on me and repeated his question. "You do realize what you are asking of me?"

"Sorta."

"Not only are you asking me to rehire an employee who couldn't listen to directions to save her life and cost me thousands upon thousands of dollars, but you also want me to risk my reputation along with my business as well."

"Exactly. I'm glad we're on the same page." I turned and headed for the door at bolting speed.

"Rose," The warning note in his voice was enough to stop me.

After Dimitri ordered Darius and Ivan out of the room, he beckoned me back to the desk with one long graceful finger.

"Yes?" I asked, hopeful to get this conversation over with ASAP.

"Do you really want Tasha back?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Moments of silence passed through us until he spoke again. "Fine. She has a job."

I jumped up and down. "Thank you! Thank you!" Running over, I squeezed him until he complained of lack of oxygen.

"You're the best!" I grabbed to fistfuls of silky brown hair and planted a rough one on him. "Thank you!"

He smiled, beautiful lips red and swollen. "No problem. No matter how much I am dreading this decision I made, you are happy and that's all that matters."

Feeling bold and daring, I locked the doors and decided to give him a little strip tease.

"Why did you do that?" He asked after wards, shifting in his seat awkwardly, rearranging pants that had suddenly become tight.

"I believe you deserved a little treat."

"That wasn't a treat. That was torture."

"And you loved every moment of it."

"I did."

"See you later!" Grinning like an idiot, I ran out of the office, ignoring his yells and pleas for me to come back.

* * *

><p>"Will you allow me to prepare dinner tonight for you?"<p>

I gasped and nearly slipped on the tile as I came out of the shower and found Dimitri sitting on my bed. He was dressed in black slacks and a white shirt. The first few buttons were down and his tie was loosened, making him jump-his-bones-on-the-spot-worthy. Tightening my towel, I cursed loudly and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I want to make you dinner."

"I don't know…"

"Don't make me beg," Dimitri got to his feet.

"But I like when you beg."

"And I like when you look at me like that." He came over and pulled me in to his arms.

Tucking some brown hair behind his ear, I stared up at him. "Like what?"

"Like you want to rip my clothes off and make love to me. All night long."

I bit my lip hard to keep from smiling. "It's as if you can read my mind."

"I just know you that well." Dimitri dropped his head to my neck, placing a kiss against my wet skin. He slid his nose down my shoulder and inhaled. "I love the way you smell."

Closing my eyes and blushing, I murmured, "It's just the soap I used in the shower."

"No. It's you. Not the soap. _You._" His mouth trailed down until it reached my wrist, where he placed a kiss and went back up the inside of my arm. "You have this wonderful natural smell, like jasmine and lavender. It's intoxicating." Dimitri smiled devilishly. "It's the strongest when you are aroused—"

"How about that dinner?" I cleared my throat and tried to remember how to function like a normal human being. God, that voice he'd used on me…that damn voice.

He pulled back, obviously pleased with my body's reaction to him. "Is that a yes?"

"Only if you are cooking."

The God reincarnate nodded. "Of course. I have already closed the kitchen down for the evening and sent my employees home early. So it will be just me and you."

"What about Darius and Ivan? They live here."

"Not aloud to come out of their rooms unless it is an emergency," he said. "My orders."

"You asshole. You had this all planned out already. You already knew I was going to say yes."

"I was hoping." Dimitri headed for the door. "I will see you downstairs soon?"

"After I'm dressed."

"Good. Thank you." The door shut softly.

After clipping my hair up and brushing my teeth, I headed for the closet. The jeans seemed comfortable enough, but I didn't want to wear my signature casual clothes. I wanted something…nice. I wanted something that made me look beautiful. I wanted Dimitri to see me as sexy and not just "cute" for once.

I chose a royal purple summer dress that was striking yet flowing and comfortable at the same time. Perfect.

After slipping on some white sandals, I headed for the kitchen.

I found him by the stove, pouring red wine in to a frying pan with two juicy steaks in it.

"Yum. I didn't know you could cook."

He glanced over his shoulder and cocked a brow. "Yes, you do. I used to make you food everyday. Remember?"

"I do now." I rubbed my belly appreciatively. "Wow, you really are amazing. A true God."

Dimitri's attention was on the food, but I had a feeling he was smiling.

Sometime later, we made our way to the dining table.

"You are such a sap," I grinned. "Candles and champagne…_really?_ You know I'm not the romantic type."

"Maybe not. But you deserve the best." He filled, then dropped a fresh strawberry in a crystal flute. He handed it to me. "Now sit while I go get our plates."

As I waited, I watched the bubbles fizz to the top of the glass. I sipped gently. The champagne was sweet and light and delicious.

By the time Dimitri came back with our dishes, I had tipped the entire thing off.

"Easy there, girl." He smiled as he refilled the flute. "We're just getting started."

"I like the sound of that," I stared down at the exotically designed and expensive plate. Steak. Potatoes. Asparagus. And some kind of sauce that was delicate and smelled appealingly. My stomach roared.

From the seat across from me, Dimitri chuckled. "Eat. You are hungry."

"What gave me away? Was it the growling lion in my belly or the way I'm drooling all over your table?"

"Both."

I grabbed a fork and knife and dug in. "I want you to teach me how to fight again."

He froze for a second. "Why?"

"Just because." I shrugged and took a bite of meat. "You used to be my instructor and _Jiu Jitsu Palace. _I haven't fought in years, and I miss it. Besides, with all the shit that's been going down lately…it would be good for me to, you know, learn how to defend myself. It may not be _that_ useful, but it'll make me feel safer."

Dimitri was quiet for a moment, pondering the thought.

"Will you or not?" I snapped. "The answer to my question isn't rocket science."

He took a sip of champagne and grinned, "Yes. I will teach you how to fight again."

"Good," I did a little happy dance as best I could in my chair. "Thanks."

Three flute refills and two helpings later, I groaned and eased back in my seat. "Godddddd. I'm so full I think I'm going to pop like a balloon. Thank you. That food was…incredible. You really are a good cook."

Dimitri wiped his mouth with a napkin, stood up, and grabbed our plates. "No dessert?"

"Ugh…tempting. But I really shouldn't..."

He smiled. "Too bad because I've already baked it. I guess I'll wrap it up and save it for another night—"

"What is it?" I asked eagerly.

"Chocolate—"

"Fine, fine. If you are going to force me, then get it. Go."

He disappeared inside the kitchen, shaking his head.

When he came back out, I gaped. "What the hell is all that magic?"

There was a little flame at the top of a cake hill. He set the plate in front of me, grabbed the nearest chair and sat down. "Blow it out."

I did.

Dimitri smiled and carefully handed me a knife. "Cut it in half. But don't take a bite yet."

I made a slit down the middle and was amazed. Melted caramel and molten chocolate spilled out of the chocolate cake like lava from a volcano. I made a sound of approval and without thinking about it, stuck my finger into the sugary sweetness, wanting to taste a lick of it.

"Holy crap!" I ripped my hand back and squeezed my wrist, shaking it and going in a panic. "Shit! It burns! Do something! BURNSSSS!"

Dimitri swore in Russian and stuck my finger directly between his lips, sucking the scorching chocolate and caramel off, not caring that he burned his mouth in the process. He pulled back, ripped the champagne bottle from the bucket of ice, and shoved my hand into it, covering the inflamed skin completely with freezing cubes.

I instantly felt relieved and sagged. "Why the hell would you bring out something that hot, you idiot! My hand was living in hell there for a moment."

His dark eyes were sharp and angry. "I told you not to take a bite. You're supposed to put the vanilla ice cream on the cake before you eat it. It cools it down."

"Oh." Feeling stupid, I asked, "How's your mouth?"

"I'll live." Dimitri grabbed an ice cube out of the silver bucket and bit in, crushing it.

I felt sad when he cleaned the dessert plate off the table, blaming myself for ruining such a perfect evening.

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't be," he said gently. "It was my fault. I should have got it ready with the ice cream before bringing it out. It was stupid of me. I…I apologize. You shouldn't have been hurt tonight."

I was about to say more, but a huge bang made us both freeze. It sounded like a window had shattered. The seconds that followed made me break out in a cold sweat. My heart hammered so hard from the rush of adrenaline pouring throughout my body.

Someone had broken into the mansion. And I had a sickening feeling it was the man with the ski mask.

He'd come to finish the job.


	11. Chapter 11: Ring the Alarm

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter rated M for strong language and a lemony scene.<strong>

**RPOV:**

Dark eyes flickered to mine. Dimitri motioned for me to be quiet with his finger, then made a downward action with his palm, indicating for me to get on the ground

Too scared to do anything but listen to his orders, I silently lowered to my knees. My body was shaking all over and I had to clamp my teeth shut to keep them from chattering.

The security system had been breached. _Holy shit._ Ivan, the technology genius, had the place wired everywhere, top to bottom. I don't think a rat could have gone past those massive iron gates without them knowing about it.

The only way someone must have broken in is because they were also very crafty with computers and alarms.

Sheer panic settled in as I saw a shadow creep around the corner. An arm lifted and in its gloved covered hand was a gun with a silencer on its muzzle. I screamed for Dimitri, but he'd already tackled the black shadow to the floor.

As the sensor lights blinked on, I was able to see the man covered in all black clearly. Dimitri grabbed him by the wrist and smashed it against the ground one, two, three times to get the firearm out of his grip.

"Get the gun, Rose! And be careful!" Dimitri shouted, holding the man with ease underneath him, even when he started bucking and trying to flip Dimitri over on his back.

I kicked the piece of metal a few inches, then grabbed it and booked it for the stairs. "Ivan! Darius!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, burning my throat.

As if they were in sync, the men darted out of their rooms at the same exact time. It was obvious in their clothes and messy hair that they'd been sleeping. Both were wearing startled looks.

"Downstairs! Now. He needs help. Someone broke in!"

Their expressions transformed into murderous ones, a real _I'm-going-to-kill-someone-tonight-and-I-cannot-wait_. Both looked like soldiers and I knew they were prepared to defend Dimitri no matter what. When it came to Ivan and Darius, one thing you never did was mess with the people they loved.

"Hold on. _Uno momento, senorita." _Darius grabbed the gun out of my hand, then disappeared in his room. A heartbeat later, he returned with two new shiny firearms. He tossed one to Ivan and they both headed for the stairs. "Stay here, Rose!"

I followed behind, tiptoeing. Hiding in the shadows, I peaked around a corner.

Dimitri was on his feet, apparently in the middle of a brutal interrogation. "Tell me who you work for!" He grabbed the male by his shirt and slammed him so hard against the wall I swore I heard ribs snapping.

As the guy in all black howled in pain, Dimitri repeated his question, baring his upper lip and growling the words at him. A moment later, the ski mask was ripped off, revealing a man in his late twenties with snow-white skin, brown eyes, and hair the color of a barn.

When the redhead didn't responded, Ivan walked over, gripped his nose, and twisted.

The sickening cracks and pops made me want to hurl forward and vomit, but I somehow managed to swallow the bile down and keep quiet. If I was seen now, I'd most certainly be in deep shit.

"I don't know his name!"

"You don't know his name?" Darius smiled cruelly. Man, the guy could be all friendly and funny and polite during the day, but piss him off, and he made you think fondly of the devil.

Redhead breathed heavily as he spoke, his words coming out in short breaths, "H-h-h he never told me his name. I swear to God I don't know it. Please don't hurt me!"

"Too late for that." Ivan muttered. "Boss, I think he's telling the truth."

Dimitri gripped the males collar and lifted him a good foot off the ground. "Are you the one who shot my wife?"

_Wife? _There would be time to be pissed off about that later.

Red shook his head so fast you'd think he was having a seizure. "No. Nathan was the one. He watched the two women in the store, then waited for them out in the parking lot."

"You told me you didn't have a name!" Dimitri growled, releasing the man.

Redhead fell straight to the hard marble floor. He groaned in pain and rubbed the sore spot. Blood poured from his nose, into his mouth, and down his neck. "Nathan was hired to kill you. He's not the one who wants you dead. It's all money to Nathan, that's all. Nothing personal."

"Nothing personal?" Darius laughed and the sound was like venomous scorpions crawling all over my skin. "I think it's just gotten pretty damn personal, hasn't it. Who does Nathan work for?"

"_I. Don't. Know._ If I did, I would tell you in a heartbeat. I swear."

"Where can we find this Nathan guy then?"

"I don't have an address," Red said. "But we meet at this diner on Tempri drive. He's waiting for me to call him with the news."

"What news?" Ivan asked.

"News that _you_ had been shot."

"A suicide mission. He was sent in here to get killed, though he is unaware of this little fact...aren't you, boy?"

"Ivan?" Dimitri ignored Darius. When the male nodded, he asked, "Why?"

"He wanted your business partner killed. If I take out Ivan, it's much easier to get to you. I swear I didn't want to do this, but he paid me twenty grand-"

"_Shut the fuck up._"

"So that's why he's doing this?" Darius was putting all of the pieces together in his mind. "Because you buy and sell hotels. Because you're at the top of the game. One of the richest men on the planet. And because…"

"You're competition." Ivan finished. "He wants you out of the game, boss. Done. Killed. He'll be in control if you are…he'll make millions if you're six feet under."

My stomach churned and my heart burned like it was roaring in flames. God, no. No. No. No. This couldn't be happening.

"Didn't you mention something about threat letters you received a few years back?" Darius asked.

Dimitri nodded. "I didn't think anything of it. They were just trying to scare me out of my business. I wouldn't listen to any of it. Honestly, I though it was a joke."

"Shit."

"Let's go to the diner." Someone suggested.

"No!" I stepped out of hiding. "You can't go."

"Get her out of here."

Darius and Ivan came towards me. Two massively intimidating predators on the hunt.

"Dimitri, I swear to God if you go out that door…"

Dimitri held up his hands, stopping everyone. He looked directly at me. "I have to, Roza."

"Let the police deal with it!"

Darius flashed a gun, "Sorry, baby. This isn't something you can handle with the law. The only way to fix things is to get down and dirty."

"Watch him." Dimitri barked to the men, pointing at Red. When they took positions beside him, he pulled me into the kitchen where it was quiet. The doors flapped shut.

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded, grabbing his shirt and slamming him against the refrigerator. Bottles and boxes tipped off the top and slammed against the ground.

"Protecting you," He growled, pinning my hands behind my back. "Can't you see that? As long as that man who wants me dead is out there, you're in danger."

"Call the police."

"They won't be able to do anything about it. Trust me."

"You're an idiot!"

"I have to go."

"Go right ahead! Leave me when I beg you to stay, just like you did six years ago. History always repeats itself, doesn't it?" Low blow, but I was grasping at straws here. It wasn't like I could tie Dimitri up and lock him in a closet. The idea had passed through my head a few times, but I knew Darius and Ivan would come searching if he didn't show up soon.

"It's not like that, and you know it." His voice was solemn. "I won't stop at nothing to defend you."

Without another glance, Dimitri left.

The doors shutting after his tall frame were like knifes to my heart. I dropped to my knees and hugged myself. Though I'd never been a religious person—my mother had been an atheist before she'd overdosed on heroine—I prayed to God to keep Dimitri safe. Honestly, I had no idea what I'd do without him.

* * *

><p>I must have been there awhile because my tears ducts ran dry from crying and I was lifted off the ground. I lifted my head and looked up. "Dimitri?"<p>

"It's me, Roza. I'm just taking you back to your room. You need sleep." he whispered. Everything around us was dark, so I assumed everyone had gone to rest. It was late. Really, really late.

Shaking my head, I said, "I wanna go with you. In your bed."

Dimitri glanced down, his face covered in shadows. He stared at me for a moment as he walked, then nodded. "Okay."

"How are Darius and Ivan?"

"Asleep. And they're fine. Everyone is fine."

"How did everything go? At the diner, I mean."

"Taken care of." he replied sharply.

"What do you mean—"

"Everything is fine. You're safe, for now. That's all that matters. There's no need to dive into details."

I nodded and laid my head against his chest. "I missed you." I said so lowly I don't believe he heard.

A few minutes later, we'd made it to his room. After shutting and locking the door, he set me on my feet and turned on the lights—

I gasped, a hand flying to my mouth. "Holy crap. What happened to your face?"

When I came towards Dimitri, he held up his arms and softly pushed me back. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"To hell with that." I said. "Let me see your eye. Oh, God. It's nearly swollen shut. Do you want an ice pack?"

"No. It'll heal."

I touched his cheek gently. When the God reincarnate closed his eyes and leaned against my palm, I whispered, "Does it hurt?"

He shook his head and turned to press his lips to my hand. "I don't feel anything."

"You will in the morning."

"I'll deal with that when it comes to it."

"_We'll_." I corrected. "We will deal with it. We're a team now. Deal with it."

Dimitri smiled beautifully.

"Will you tell me what happened tonight?"

"I killed Nathan."

"What?"

"I shot and killed Nathan. Please don't look at me like that. If I hadn't done what I did in that alley, other people would have died. Whether it was tonight or sometime in the future…it would have happened. Death is unavoidable with Nathan…I could see it in his eyes. He was evil, Roza. You could see it. Anyone could." His voice was on the verge of hysteria, telling me exactly how he was doing knowing that he'd taken another persons life: Not good at all.

"Dimitri, look at me." When he met my eyes, I said, "You did what you had to do."

He squeezed his lids shut.

I tugged him over to the bed, forced him to sit down, and pulled him in my arms. Dimitri laid his head against my chest and hugged me tight, like a child being comforted by their mother after having a really bad nightmare.

"Believe it or not, you're a hero."

"I killed a man tonight. That's not heroic."

"You saved Ivan and Darius. You saved me. And you saved yourself." I ran my fingers through his shoulder-length mane. "That man was hired to assassinate you. If you hadn't done what you had, he would have come after you and killed anyone who got in his way. Do you think he is remorseful for the lives he has taken?"

"No."

"Exactly. As hard as this may be to believe, you did the world a favor, you saved peoples lives. You are the bravest man I know."

"You are extraordinary. My salvation." Dimitri prayed in Russian, then lifted his head and stared straight at my lips.

I knew exactly what he needed. _My salvation._ Those words echoed in my head.

When I lifted my shirt over my head, he seemed surprised and hesitant. "Shh." I put my fingers to his lips, then kissed him. "I need you, too."

Slowly, I reached for the lapels of his duster. "No. We can't. Not now. I want this to be beautiful, romantic. I don't want the reason you finally want to make love is because you pity me." He grabbed my arms and pinned them in my lap, pressing his forehead to mine. "I'm perfectly content and happy with holding you in my arms."

"Yeah, well, I'm not. So release my hands so I can get you naked." When he smiled brilliantly, I giggled. "And the last thing I feel for you is pity. Believe me."

"I don't." Dimitri said. "You're just saying that now. It's understandable. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you about Nathan. I hate when you worry—"

Grabbing his thick wrists, I slid both palms underneath my bra, feeling his warm skin brushing the sensitive flesh of my breast. He sucked in a sharp breath and hissed.

"Does this feel like pity to you?"

His head shook from side to side, over and over again…kind of like a robot. Satisfaction filled my chest. Dimitri wasn't a man that got struck stupid very often.

"This is desire and hunger and yearning." His jacket and shirt came off, revealing a Godly body. "I want you, Dimitri. I _need _you. My body is yours."

Something from his native tongue escaped his full lips, as sharp as a curse. I was covered with his heavy body in the blink of on an eye. "I promise to love you the way I've wanted to for so long, Roza. My head is going to be between your legs and I will lick you until you scream my name. Then I'm going to bury myself so deep inside you and look into your eyes as I release. Do you want to know what I'm going to do after that? Take you every way there is. I will seize you from behind. I will take you standing up. Against the wall. And then you're going to sit on my hips and ride me until I'm breathless."

_Oh, God, _was my only thought as my eyes rolled back in my head. Clothes disappeared. Skin contact was made. Mouths joined.

All of my senses were gone. I was lost completely.

* * *

><p>"Ugh." I fell out of bed, my body slammed against the ground with every muscle screaming at me. "Breaker, breaker, Comrade. It seems we have a problem. I am unable to walk."<p>

His loud laugh was music to my ears. I peaked up. Dimitri was laying on the massive mattress, the only thing covering his naked body were the sheets hiked up to his bare hips. Those glorious arms that had held me all night were crossed behind his head. His expression was one of masculine pride and satisfaction.

God…what a sight. My sore, aching body heated up again. _Damn!_

"Don't look so smug, you bastard." On the contrary, my voice was sweet and gentle. It didn't help that I couldn't stop smiling either. The damn thing just wouldn't go away. Oh, the joys of being hopelessly in love.

"I think I like watching you struggle." Dimitri grabbed the remote and snapped on a movie. "Come back to bed, my love. Let's get some rest."

"You and I both know that's the last thing we'd be doing."

"True. That's why I'm telling you to get over here. Where are you going anyways?"

"Shower."

Dimitri rocket launched to his feet.

"Now you get up. Go back. No sex…_yet._ I need to recover."

He frowned. "I just want to take a shower with you. That's all."

I rolled my eyes. "Bullshit. But fine. Let's go."

Two hours later, we emerged from the bathroom, so perfectly clean yet dirty at the same time. That's what endless rounds under the water spray will do for you.

Glancing at Dimitri's freshly clothed body, I couldn't believe that I wanted him again. It seemed impossible, but my body ached and yearned for him more than it had in the last six years we'd been apart, despite the fact how many times he'd made love to me throughout the night.

I gulped. "I want something to eat."

He winked. "You have me, baby."

"Food. Breakfast. Kitchen. Food in the kitchen for breakfast would be good. Really good."

Dimitri grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles. "Whatever you want, Roza. Our new chef just arrived from Europe and I believe that you'd be perfect to put his cooking skills to the test."

* * *

><p><strong>IPOV: <strong>

I set the weights down slowly and breathed heavily. "_What_...the hell did you just say?"

"It's all about the chase, brother. All about the chase." Darius said.

Though I was well built from having spent the majority of my life as a marine, Darius was…well, he put my body to shame. The man was all muscles, rock hard muscles. At six-foot-nine and two-hundred and eighty pounds, Darius looked like he could get mowed over by a tank and not be fazed by it in the slightest. No wonder he constantly had women dropping panties at his feet.

"I think it runs deeper than that." I said.

He stood up, navy-blue eyes wide. "Really? Because I think I like her."

"Like or _like_?"

"_Like._" Darius wiped the sweat from his forehead with a white towel. "Oh…shit."

"_Oh,_ _shit_ is right, my brother." I grinned, starting my sets of chin ups.

"You know how I only like dark-haired girls?"

"Yeah," I gritted my teeth, keeping the pace. "Only dark-haired."

"Well…I'm starting to like blonds. Or more specifically, one woman with blond curls. Mia. Have you seen that girl's hair? Perfect. Absolutely perfect…with those little ringlets. It's like liquid sunshine. You can tell she spent a lot of time on it, you know? That's a real turn on. I like when a female makes herself look all good and fresh like that. And don't even get me started on her personality. She's fierce, independent, hot-headed, stubborn…and I couldn't want her more." Darius breathed. "Fuck…what's wrong with me?" Panic flooded his cruelly handsome face.

I dropped from the bar and landed on my feet. The confessions continued tumbling out of his mouth.

"Why do I have a head-splitting urge to, I don't know, make love to her? I actually want to cuddle with her afterward, Ivan. _Cuddle_ with her." he said. "The last thing I snuggled with was a teddy bear named Mr. Henry. And that was twenty-eight years ago."

"I'm sorry…did you say Mia's hair was like…_liquid sunshine?_" I barked. "Hold on, I'm going to hurl if I don't die from laughing."

Darius launched a water bottle at me. "All right. That's the last time I'm opening up to you. No more deep and meaningful convo's for us, bro."

"Sorry. Sorry. I didn't mean it." Clamping my lips shut, I tried to snap out of the hysterics. "It's just…you're thinking too much in to this whole thing. Face it, Mia doesn't wanna go on a date with you, much less get in your bed."

"That's why I have to figure her out," Darius headed for the gym doors with a quizzical expression. "She's like a Rubik's Cube, you know. I have to solve her."

"Good luck with that," I muttered, pulling a shirt over my head. "I ain't ever seen you finish one. And how many of those Cubes have you bought over the years? Five or six? You always put the damn thing down after five minutes. You get bored with it. Just like you do with all the women you go through."

"There's a first time for everything, my brother." A ghost of a smile flickered across his lips. "And I don't know…Mia's just different. I can't explain it. She's on the brain twenty-four-seven."

"Getting those warm and fuzzies in your belly?" I asked.

"Nope. That's just what I ate from Taco Bell."

We both laughed as the door slapped shut.

* * *

><p><strong>RPOV:<strong>

"Oh, my God." I moaned and eased back against Dimitri's chest, rubbing my achingly full belly. "That was good. _Soooo_ good."

Pavel, the new top chef of the mansion who had been hired right after Opal had been fired for attempting to seduce Dimitri, stood at the end of the dining table dressed in his white uniform. He leaned forward and smiled, kind brown eyes at odds with his hard yet handsome face. "Thank you, Miss Hathaway. Is there anything else I may prepare you?"

"Oh, no. I'd pop like a balloon if I ate anything more. How'd you like breakfast, Comrade?"

Dimitri leaned forward in the chair and placed a lingering kiss to the back of my neck, obviously _very _okay with PDA. "Delicious." he whispered in my ear. "It was delicious."

I cleared my throat harshly and searched for a rational thought. My brain seemed to get all fuzzy when he was touching me.

Tasha came out of the kitchen, wearing the same thing her boss, Pavel, was. Her ice-blue eyes flashed when she saw Dimitri and I cuddling together, but she forced a smile a second later. "Hi, Dimka. Hi, Rose." She waved.

Immediately, I felt Dimitri stiffen at the sight of her.

"It's okay. I'll protect you, Hunny Buns." I winked.

He chuckled loudly, kissed me, then politely nodded at her.

Pavel gave Tasha an order and I couldn't help but notice his eyes flicker up and down her body. After she nodded, the two disappeared inside the kitchen.

"Well, uh, I think it's time for work, ain't it? Actually, I think we're late." It took every ounce of self-control to hop up from Dimitri's lap.

The Russian God smiled slyly, dangerously. "No."

"_No?_"

"No."

"No what?"

"No, as in no we're not going to work today. It so happens that we both have the day off."

"It's Monday and that's bull crap."

He grabbed my arm when I headed for his office. "You're not going in for work today, possibly tomorrow and the days following, too. And before you argue with me, I'm your boss and that's an order."

Those dark, hungry eyes made me lose my train of thought…_again! Damn!_ "What do you suppose we do to pass the time, Mr. Belikov?" I smoothed my hand over his chest.

"I can think of a way or two…or a dozen."

"I'll race you up stairs! First one to your bedroom is on the bottom!" Giggling like crazy, I ran for the steps and ate them up three at a time.

Dimitri was quicker though, he scooped me up in his arms in a flash. I don't know how he managed it, but he had us completely naked before we reached the canopied bed.

"I love you." I whispered in perfect bliss as he laid me down gently.

He spoke low and deep in Russian, ending with the three words I had told him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** It's my birthday and I'm sick as a dog, so I'd really appreciate some sugary-sweet reviews to make me feel all better! :D


	12. Chapter 12: Here comes the Unexpected

**A/N: **Thank you all for the birthday wishes! I'm actually feeling much better now and that's why I was able to type this chapter up so quickly. I hope you enjoy! Just a for a warning, the first scene is lemony! ;-)**  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

* * *

><p><strong>1 month later...<strong>

**RPOV:  
><strong>

"Take off your clothes and throw them on the floor."

Laying on the canopied bed, I grinned and tossed my legs in the air, rubbing the skin of my calves and thighs, teasing him. "You're a boss in that office. Not in this bedroom."

Dimitri growled. "Want me to prove you wrong?"

"You already have. Many, many times. Over and over again."

He unbuttoned his work shirt, slid it off his broad, tan shoulders, and let the fabric fall to the ground.

"God, you are amazing." I licked my lips, unable to tear my eyes away from his ripped body. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Maybe. Is it working, Roza?"

"Oh, yeah." My toes curled. "But...we can't. I gotta get out of this room. We've been at it like rabbits for the past month."

"Really? Because I disagree. I don't believe we've had nearly enough playtime under the sheets."

"I can't remember the last time I saw the sun."

"You want sunshine? I'll give it to you." Dimitri strolled over to the black curtains, ripped them open.

Rays filled the room. I squinted. "I'm blinded! And it burns."

"What are you...a vampire?"

Darius' voice made me scream at the same time Dimitri cursed.

"Hi Rose, how are you? You look good. And you're glowing. Have you been working out? Oh, hey, boss. I got those papers. I don't mean to interrupt on your private bizz."

"Too late for that." Dimitri ripped the folder out of his grasp. "Knock next time."

"The door was unlocked. Didn't feel the need to."

The God reincarnate shoved the colossal man out of the room, ignoring the protests and curses, then he locked the door and eased back on the canopied bed with me.

"I want you, Comrade. Believe me, I want you more than anything right now. It's just..."

"Finish your sentence." Long, graceful fingers brushed my cheek ever so gently.

Blushing like crazy, I murmured, "Sore. It's a good kind of sore, but still...it aches. And my lower back? Killing me. I don't think my body can handle any more sex. At least not today."

"That's fine." Dimitri got on his knees, hooked his thick forearms behind my knees, and dragged me to him, my shirt lifting up to my ribcage in the process. "I will gladly do all of the work. And I promise to be gentle with you, Roza."

"What are you doing?"

"Pleasuring you."

"But it hurts-"

"This won't. I promise. It'll relax your body." A large, warm palm smoothed over my belly, fingertips circling my navel. "Just lay back, relax...enjoy. Give yourself to me completely."

Those warm brown eyes met mine and I suddenly wasn't afraid. My shorts came off, followed by my underwear.

"Are you sure?" The heat crept to my cheeks as his stare went straight to my most sensitive parts. It was so exposing and vulnerable, yet exhilarating and euphoric as something dangerous and sensual cemented in his eyes. "You don't have to. It's kind of weird-"

My words were cut off as he rested on his stomach and elbows, then lifted my calves up so that they straddled his shoulders. My feet hooked around his strong neck on their own accord. Slowly and deliberately, he spread me wide open to accommodate him.

It was the most erotic thing staring into Dimitri's eyes as he looked up at me, his head between my thighs, merely inches away from my throbbing core.

"You don't have to do this if you don't wanna-"

"I _do._" He lowered his mouth and I cried out.

* * *

><p>I opened the door and froze. "Holy shit. Yeva…is that you?"<p>

"I'm glad you're finally done screwing the brains out of my grandson." Yeva shoved past me and went into Dimitri's bedroom.

"Some things never change," I muttered. "Crazy old lady."

Ancient with knowledge, scary as hell, black eyes stared at me. "I may be old, but my hearing is as young as you are. Watch what you say, little girl, before it comes back to bite you in the ass."

"The only thing that has every bitten me in the ass is your grandson. Last night. Right after he was done bonking me from behind." The cruel grin I gave was no better than telling her to _Go to hell. _"Did I forget to mention that we're still not married? Or even engaged? Yep. You and your damn old fashioned traditions can chew on that shit for awhile."

Dimitri's grandmother yelled something in Russian that didn't exactly sound complimentary. "I have seen public bathroom toilet seats cleaner than that mouth. You are a disgrace to our family. I cannot tell you how much I wish my grandson would have fallen in love with another woman. A woman he could be proud to be with. A woman who comes from a good family. A woman that is worthy of him. Not a disloyal, betraying, tramp like yourself."

The strain to keep up my cool and calm facade was almost unbearable, considering how much her words hurt and stung. It took every ounce of self control in me to not burst out in tears. But it wasn't as if I could blame Yeva. She had every right to treat me like dirt because of what I'd did to Dimitri when we first began dating all those years ago.

We were staring each other down when Dimitri casually walked out of the bathroom, obviously having not caught the little spat Yeva and I had tangled in.

"Babushka!"

It was like a switch in Yeva's emotions had been turned off. Her black eyes morphed brown and she smiled so widely I thought her leathery face might crack. She beamed as her grandson scooped that tiny, frail body of hers in his massive arms and hugged the old lady like there was no tomorrow.

Feeling out of place, I quietly grabbed my purse and sunglasses, then headed down the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Dimitri asked, looking up from the adoring conversation he'd been having with Yeva in his native tongue.

"Out. Just for a little while." I slipped my bag on my left shoulder, balancing the weight on my hip. "Uncle V's doctor appointment is today. The guy needs some fresh air, too. He's been spending all his time with that plasma."

A large hand smoothed over Yeva's thin arms. "Go find Mama and tell her I'll be down in a minute, okay?" When she nodded, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Babushka."

"As I love you, my only grandson."

When Dimitri came towards me, Yeva's smile faltered. She stared at me for a moment in disgust, then muttered a curse under her breath, turned around, and headed for the staircase.

"Did you know they were coming?" I asked him.

"Yeah, they come to visit. Quite often."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was a surprise. Please don't be angry with me."

I sighed in exhaustion, placing a hand to my forehead and closing my eyes. "I'm not. I just wished you'd told me."

"That kind of beats the whole surprise thing, doesn't it?" he smiled beautifully, brushing a few strands of damp hair out of his eyes, tucking it behind his ear.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. Let me work on my surprise face. How's this one?"

Dimitri barked out a harsh laugh. "You look like a goddamn serial killer. Or a killer clown."

"But don't I look…_HAPPY!_" I grinned like the Joker. "My favorite person in the world is here to see me! And she just loves me to bits and pieces!"

"Rose. Stop." Dimitri's long fingers gently tugged at my cheeks, making my face normal once again. "You and Yeva will get along eventually. It just takes time."

"I can't change my past actions. I'm sorry for what I did. I would never, ever do anything like that again."

His jaw clenched in anger at the memory, but he remained collected. "I know, Roza. And in time my grandmother will realize that."

"You think?"

"Trust me," Warm, soft lips pressed against mine. "She will."

"Alright." After a little more mouth-to-mouth action, I pulled back and stared up to those bottomless eyes. "I gotta go. Victor's appointment is in forty-five minutes."

"I'd feel better if the doctor came here."

"You can't protect me from everything, Superman." Teasingly, I poked his chest and stomach.

"Yes, but I can sure as hell try."

"Nothing has happened in over a month. All the crazy activity has died down."

"That doesn't mean he's still not out there."

"True. But you can't keep me trapped in this mansion like a prisoner. Honestly? I kind of feel like I'm loosing my mind. I need to get out for a moment. Go back into the real world." I said. "Besides, I can handle myself. I got my big girl panties on…remember? You helped me put them on yourself."

Dimitri licked his lips slowly, seductively. "I most certainly do. Since it's obvious you're set on leaving and it doesn't look as if you're going to break anytime soon, I insist that you go out with some protection."

"Cool." I fist pumped the air. "Where's the gun?"

He laughed humorlessly. "You're funny."

"I'm being serious."

"So am I. I will not have you shoot your foot off." Dimitri said. "So I'm going with you."

"Oh, no. No. No. No. No." I shook my head automatically. "No. No. No. NO."

He frowned. "Am I that horrible of company?"

"You stay here with your family. Spend some quality time with them. You haven't seen them in a blue moon."

We stared each other down for the longest time, challenging, seeing who had the dominant hand, until Dimitri blinked and looked away. "Fine. I will get someone else."

I crossed my arms. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Don't think of it as a babysitter…more like a loaded gun." Reaching in his back pocket, he pulled out a sleek black cell phone. After flipping it open and pressing a few buttons, he held it up to his ear and winked at me.

When the person on the other line answered, Dimitri barked something in another language. It wasn't Russian. I was sure of that. While he conversed on the telly, it took me a few moments to realize it was Italian.

"Just frickin' wonderful." I muttered, knowing who was going to be my right hand man for the day.

Darius strolled out of his bedroom, dressed head-to-toe in black. He gave Dimitri a hard pat on the back, then smiled at me, flashing a set of keys. "We're taking the Rover, senorita."

* * *

><p>"Damn it. Uncle Victor, sit down! Don't make me roll up your window and lock it."<p>

Victor crossed his arms, pouting like a child, and muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" I glared at him in the rearview mirror.

"Nothing."

"Yeah. That's what I thought."

"What's her favorite color?" Darius asked, seated beside me in the passenger side. He'd been like this the whole drive to the doctor's office, firing question after question. All about Mia.

"Why do you care?" I stopped at a red light. "It's not like you're interested in her anyways. Besides, she's unavailable. Mia has a boyfriend."

That shut him up.

For a minute.

Those massive shoulders that overwhelmed the black Range Rover shrugged. "Just trying to make conversation, senorita."

"Pink. Her favorite color is pink."

Uncle Victor kicked the back of my seat, but I ignored him. He always got this cranky when he was hungry or tired. And considering he hadn't been allowed to eat since midnight because of his upcoming test and I'd dragged him away from a Rambo movie, his crabbiness was amplified to the extreme.

"What kind of pink?" Darius asked, completely entranced in what little information I was giving out.

"What do you mean? Pink. She likes pink. It's a pretty goddamn ordinary color." Pressing my foot on the gas pedal, I sped into the parking lot of Dr. Greene's office and whipped to a space.

"You could not be more wrong about that." Dimitri's financial advisor said as we exited the vehicle. "There are all different shades of pink. Dark, light. Fuchsia. Mauve. Magenta. Salmon. Amaranth. Carnation. Coral. Fandango. Do you see what I'm saying? The list is endless. Can you be a little more specific?"

Bursting out laughing, I said, "You can name every shade of pink. Oh, that's masculine. Totally."

"Whatever."

"Mia loves hot pink. You know, that really bold color that sticks out. She absolutely goes nuts for it."

Darius beamed. "Thank you, senorita." His brutally handsome face grew serious. "Next question."

I slapped my forehead and groaned.

And the drilling continued…

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry…" My voice cracked with emotion and shock. "Can you repeat yourself again, Doc? I don't believe I heard correctly."<p>

Dr. Greene, one of the country's most sought after specialist, stood before Victor and me. She was in her late fifties, with dark, cropped hair and gray eyes so rich with knowledge you felt privileged to be in her presence. Her expression was extra grave as she spoke softly, carefully. "The test results came back from the lab, and they show that the Sandovsky's cell growth has tripled."

Victor had gone ghostly-white beside me, green eyes glassy and blank. He was utterly silent at the news.

"You told me three weeks ago that the cell growth had stopped entirely after those radiation treatments." My voice rose with each word until I was shouting.

"I said the disease had gone dormant, Miss Hathaway. Sandovsky's syndrome is chronic, it never goes away completely." The doctor said. "Victor's illness has, and always will, have the ability to flare up unexpectedly. And that's exactly what it did this time."

The tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away. There would be time to cry later. "What does this mean for his future?"

"I would advice chemotherapy."

"And if he doesn't want to go through with it?" God…chemo? How had it gone so badly so quickly? I could remember the last time Victor had been through the treatments. Those weeks had been awful. The uncontrollable vomiting, headaches, exhaustion, hair loss, the constant worrying of getting infections. It was hell on earth for him. It made me sick to my stomach knowing that he had to go through it all again.

"Without it…his survival rate is very low."

I cringed, then grabbed onto Victor's limp, cold hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze, letting him know that I was there for him and that we were going to battle this monster together. "How low?"

"Fifteen percent. I would say Mr. Dashkov has no longer than a month to live. Possibly even just a few weeks."

"Fuck." A tear slipped out of my eye and fell off my chin. "What would happen if we went with the chemotherapy?"

"To be completely honest? The chemo is a poison that breaks down your immune system but also kills the Sandovsky's cancer. If the treatments succeed in killing the cancer, he wins. If not, he dies."

Victor spoke up for the first time. "I'm doing the chemotherapy."

* * *

><p>As I walked into the mansion, I heard booming voices and laughter spilling from the dining room and wanted to hurl. Though it was terrible for feeling this way, I envied Dimitri's family for being so happy. Why did they have a chance when Victor and I didn't? The universe could be so cruel.<p>

Darius rubbed my back surprisingly gently. "Are—"

"I'm fine." I snapped, grabbing Victor's forearm and leading my uncle to his room.

"Would you like something to eat?" I asked as I helped him into bed.

"Just some rest, dear. I am incredibly exhausted."

_Me, too. _"How about a movie to help ease you to sleep?"

"The quiet would be nice, Rosemarie. It'll give me sometime to, I don't know…think."

"Okay." I bit my lip hard, trying to keep my cool. "Would you like me to stay with you?"

Victor leaned forward, looking shockingly pale and thin and old. He grabbed my hand, then placed a kiss to my forehead. "I just want to be alone, dear. Would that be okay?"

Swallowing the painful lump in my throat and the near irresistible urge to drop to my knees and breakdown, I said, "Yeah. That's fine. Sleep good, uncle Victor."

When my hand was wrapped around the door handle, he called out to me.

"Yeah?" I spun around to face him.

"Don't worry about me so much, honey. Whatever happens, happens. Okay? I'm old. I've lived a great life. I've been shown true love, thanks to my self-sacrificing and extraordinarily caring and giving niece." His tears became glossy, but they weren't sad tears. They were full of acceptance and peace. "The only thing I want is for you to be happy, Rosemarie. So think of yourself for once. I love you." Victor pulled the covers up to his chin and rested his lids.

Too chocked up to say anything, I ran to my room.

And cried my heart out.

* * *

><p><strong>MPOV:<strong>

My cell phone rang, a Jay-Z song from The Black Album spilled in the silence. Flipping it open, I said, "Hello?"

"_Tesoro._"

I was so surprised and shocked to hear that wonderful, low, accented voice that I yelped and fell off my bed, tumbling to the ground.

Breathless, I fumbled for the device and held it to my ear. "Are you okay?" Darius asked, concern making his tone sharp as a knife. "Did you fall? What happened? Mia? _Mia?_"

I had to smile. It was the first time he'd ever used my real name. Boy, did it sound incredible on his tongue. "How the hell did you get my number?" I demanded.

"Rose gave it to me."

"She did, did she?" Oh, the girl was so going to get it. She could forget borrowing anything from my closet for a whole month.

"Yeah, but don't be mad at her." he said. "I, uh, I kind of…threatened her to give me the digits."

"What'd you threaten her with?" I twirled my hair anxiously; a thing I only did when I was nervous…or when I was deeply entranced by someone.

"Nothing you need to worry about."

"How's your jaw?"

Darius' deep rumble of a laugh was music to my ears and I closed my eyes to absorb the sound in. "The medical bills will be in your mailbox. Also, I'm suing you for pain and suffering." he teased.

To my absolute surprise, I giggled like crazy. "So, why'd you call?" Climbing to my feet, I lay down on my bed and clutched a pillow, pretending it was him that I was holding onto. Of course, considering Darius' size, I'd probably need to cuddle with a Hummer for it to come even close to feeling like the real thing.

"I wanted to hear your voice."

"Why are you doing this?" I asked. "I have a boyfriend, you know. One that I'm very much in love with." That had to be one of the biggest lies I'd ever told.

There was a deep growl on the other line, and I assumed that Darius' wasn't exactly a happy camper. He proved me right when he spoke his next words, "Really? Are you sure that you're so head-over-heels? Because I doubt your man was on your mind when I had my tongue shoved down your throat."

Way to ruin the moment…

A hissing noise came from my lips. "Let me tell you something, Darius, just because you're insanely good looking and you've got a great body and you have an endless stream of women willing to pleasure you, doesn't mean that you can get whatever the hell you want." I was so angry that my ears were turning red. God, why did he _always_ get to me like this? "It was just a kiss. _One_ kiss. Stop acting like it was something monumental. Let's just forget it ever happened. Oh, and one more thing? Lose the whole macho attitude. It's really beginning to annoy me. Being big doesn't make you bad."

He was quiet for a long time, almost like he was blown away with the way I'd talked to him. "And you have proved that, Princess. You are five feet of pure trouble."

"Five feet and one inch to be exact. Just saying."

There was a stretch of silence, and it was strangely peaceful and calming just listening to his soft breathing on the other line. It was the sound I wanted to fall asleep to at night and wake up to every morning.

My stomach knotted.

How could this man make my heart beat so fast and make me feel so alive when my own boyfriend couldn't at our most intimate moments?

"What's your boyfriend's name?" Darius asked as if he sensed my thoughts.

The door opened and Aaron came in, a bag of McDonalds in one hand and a drink holder in the other. "Hey, honey. I have dinner."

I smiled and blew a kiss at him, but those gestures were about as fake as my nails.

"I gotta go." I said to Darius.

"Don't leave me."

"Just give up now. It'll save you tons of energy and time." I had to choose my words wisely under the naive eyes of Aaron.

"I never give up, _il mio tesoro__._ You should know that by now."

Completely rattled, I slammed my cell shut and forced a Barbie smile to the man I wasn't in love with and never would be. "Hi, Sugar. I missed you dearly. Where's my McFlurry?"

* * *

><p><strong>RPOV:<strong>

A soft knock at the door made my head snap up. "Go away. Please."

Light spilled into the room as the oak slid wide open. It was engulfed in complete darkness a second later.

Dimitri sat on the bed and gently grabbed my hands. "Why won't you let me comfort you?"

_Because I hate you seeing me weak._ "I want to be alone. Just please…right now is not the time. I don't wanna be around anyone. Go away." Ripping away from his touch, I turned away and faced the wall, hugging my knees to keep myself together.

Minutes later, I heard the soft thud of Dimitri's feet as he exited my room. "I love you, Roza. So much."

I fell apart again.

The next hour was filled with uncontrollable crying, vicious sobs, hopeless screams, and mindless blank spots where I just stared off into space.

There was a high chance that Victor was going to die, even with the chemotherapy. Countless money and the best specialists in the world weren't going to fix his fate, and neither was hoping and praying that he would live.

Victor was the only family that was left and I had a sickening feeling that he was going to be ripped away from me very soon. My whole world had been turned upside down in one day. Damn. Destiny could be a really evil bitch sometimes.

The door suddenly opened without a knock.

I roughly wiped at my fallen tears. "Dimitri, I told you to go away—"

"Not Dimitri, little girl. It is me." Yeva said.

"Oh, great. This day is really shaping up." I said. "I'm not in the mood to hear you call me a whore. Look, I don't know how many times I have to tell you I'm sorry that I cheated on your grandson at that party, but I truly am. And I hope that you know I would never do anything like that again. Now, be a dear and leave, will ya?"

The crazy old lady didn't say a word as she walked over and sat on the bed. I gasped when she grabbed my hand. Her skin was leathery and her bones were visible, but her touch was surprisingly warm and seemed to give me strength.

"You are in pain." Yeva's brown eyes bore into my face. "No one deserves to suffer as you are right now. Come here, child." she opened her arms. "Let it all out and know that I am here for you."

Overcome with emotion and shock and the need to be comforted by a maternal figure, I dropped into her embrace, hugging her tiny body tightly. The flood gates opened all over again. "Thank…you."

"I haven't told you this before," I had a feeling Yeva was smiling. "But I have always liked and admired you, Roza."


	13. Chapter 13: Family time

_1 week later…_

**RPOV:**

"No, Roza!" Olena, Dimitri's beloved mother, ran up to the stove, waving her blue oven mittens in the air like crazy, trying to ward off the strong smoke. "You have to flip the pancakes, honey. You can't just leave them there and walk away!"

As she fumbled to turn off the stove and move the now ruined frying pan, Pavel, the mansions new head chef, laughed whole-heartedly before taking a sip of his steaming mug. "Your kitchen skills never cease to amaze me, Rose. And that's _not _a compliment."

"Asshole." I gave him the bird.

Olena rolled her kind, warm brown eyes exasperatedly as she mixed a fresh batch of chocolate batter. "Oh, Roza." Was her only response. I loved the woman to bits and pieces. She knew I swore like a sailor and she accepted me for who I was.

"Sorry, mom. What else do you need help with?"

"Nothing!" Olena blurted, then cleared her throat. "I mean…can you help set the table while Pavel and I finish up in here?"

"Sure." I hopped off the counter, smoothing out the silk blouse I'd put on for the traditional Belikov Sunday brunch. After grabbing as many plates I possibly could without having them tip over like dominoes, I headed out, pushing the white doors open with my hip.

I caught a glimpse of Tasha as the doors flapped shut, and smiled. The girl wasn't half bad once you got to know her. I'd realized that the other night when she'd gone out of her way to get me my favorite mint-chocolate cookies. We'd sat down and had a talk as I munched on my treats.

Once she explained why she did what she had with Dimitri, though it was painful to relive that memory, I saw her in a whole different light. She was just another woman trying to make it on her own out in the world. When she knew her job was going to be ripped from her, she'd panicked. Honestly, I couldn't blame Tasha. Desperation could make relatively normal people do insane shit.

"Hey! Watch it! You almost knocked all of these over!" I yelled, steadying the swaying dishes after Darius ran by me in a blur, in pursuit of a football.

"My apologies, _senorita!_" He caught the ball, brought his beefy arm up, and threw the pigskin across the room to Adrian, Ivan, and Christian. The thing went flying up into the mansions staggeringly high ceilings and across the living room. Christian was the one to catch it.

Right before Darius took off, he kissed my cheek in a brotherly way and apologized once again.

"Yeah, well, if you're that sorry…come and help me set up."

"I'm busy."

I sagged in relief once I set the heavy weight of glass on the table. As I was sorting them out, placing one in front of all twenty five seats of the cherry-wood table, a loud whistle rang out in the air, echoing off the walls. The sound was so loud and so piercing that I cringed.

"Boys!" Yeva glared down at Darius and Ivan wrestling over the football. They stopped struggling and stared up at the tiny elderly lady, looking like children caught with their hands in the cookie jar. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Sorry, Babushka." The men said in unison, getting to their feet and hanging their heads in shame.

"Sports are meant for outdoors." Yeva jabbed her finger to the windows. "Now go before you break something!"

All of the men, including Christian and Adrian who were unaffected by anything or anyone, shuffled their feet towards the backdoor, mumbling their apologies to Yeva who wouldn't have any of it. They disappeared outside to the acres of brilliantly green grass to continue their game of football.

"_Old granny._" I nodded in acknowledgment, finishing off with the last dish and heading to the kitchen for silverware and napkins.

"_Little girl._"

On the contrary, our voices were fond as we addressed each other. We both cracked smiles. That was our way of saying _Good morning!_ or _I love you!_

Minutes later, the dining room was completely set for Sunday brunch and the mouthwatering smell drifting from the kitchen told me that the food was nearly done.

Opening the windows to allow more of the suns beautiful rays to spill into the room—

"Roza," Dimitri came up from behind and gripped my waist, making me jump in surprise. "Do you realize how much of a turn this is seeing you all domestic?"

A very feminine sigh escaped my lips in a rush as I leaned my head against his shoulder, giving him more access to place kisses down my throat.

"Sex is going to have to wait until later, ladies." Viktoria sauntered over to the dining table, holding a bowl of fresh cut fruit in one hand, a carton of OJ in the other.

"Do you need any help?" Dimitri didn't step away from me, but defiantly toned it down a notch, acting like a gentleman in front of his little sister.

I glanced at the perfectly arranged dining table and laughed. "I think it's a little too that for that. Why don't you go play with the boys? We'll come and get you when it's time to eat."

"Thank you, Roza." he kissed me softly and lovingly, earning a disgusted snort from Viktoria.

"Keep it in your pants, big boy. No one is enjoying the show."

Smirking, he pulled back, pecked me on the mouth once, twice, three times. He zoomed out the mansion, pulled off his shirt, and tossed it to the grass. I watched as he tackled a running Darius to the ground and wrestled him for the football.

I laughed when Dimitri stole the pigskin and tore off, leaving Darius behind, muddy and angry as hell. I wasn't surprised, though. Dimitri always won. He always got what he wanted.

"Showoff," Viktoria rolled her eyes, popping a chunk of cantaloupe into her mouth.

"Don't you just love it?"

"Yeah," she grinned. "My big brother's always been a badass. Nothing is ever gonna change that."

"God, I'm so starving...I could eat a piece of fruit. So I think I will." I gnawed on a strawberry and moaned.

"It's good, huh?" Viktoria's lips lifted with pride and satisfaction. "I picked them out myself at the market."

"They're so sweet! _Yum!_ You are a Goddess."

She did a little dance and winked. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Your brother is hot."

"Eww! No he's not!" Her exotically beautiful face scrunched up.

"He's even better when he's naked."

"Oh, God. I'm going to hurl. Come on, Roza, he's my brother!"

"Admit it…you know he's extremely good looking." I crossed my arms over my chest. "If you guys weren't related and you didn't know him…you'd be checking Dimitri out. Big time. Come on, Vika, I know you feel me on this one."

"You're sick."

"So I've been told."

I wasn't surprised when she launched a grape at me. "I can totally see why my brother fell in love with you." Viktoria smiled softly, brown eyes sparkling.

What she said warmed my heart like nothing else. God, I really was blessed to be in this family. They all welcomed me with open arms.

I was brought out of my thoughts by a shattering sound. "Shucks!"

Both of our heads snapped over. Paul's skyscraper that he'd been working on for hours had tipped over, a thousand little multi-colored Lego pieces spilling all over the ivory marble floor.

Dimitri's nephew looked at us with wide, frantic eyes. "I'm so sorry, Auntie Roza and Vika! I didn't mean to make a mess. It just fell over. Don't worry, I'll clean it up as fast as I can."

I gave the kid props. If my Lego statue had ruined, I would have kicked and screamed, not be worried about people being angry with me for making a mess. It really showed which of us carried more maturity, at least in that department.

"I'll help you out, buddy." I ran over, my heels clinking against the ground. "I know Lego pieces can be a real b—"

"_Roza!_"

"—ummer to clean up." I corrected myself. "Here. How about this? I'll scoop them into a pile and you put them in the bag."

"Sounds great, Auntie Roza." Paul kissed my cheek before we got to work.

Five minutes later, I brushed my hands against my pants. "All finished."

"Thanks!" Paul hugged me. The ten year old was incredibly tall for his age, but I shouldn't have been surprised, considering Dimitri's incredible height. "I really wish my mamma and Auntie Sonya would have been able to seen it before it was broken."

Karolina, Sonya, and Zoya had had to stay at home on the Belikov ranch in Baia. Sonya was too far into her pregnancy to be doing any traveling, especially on a plane. Karolina stayed to watch over her sister.

I ruffled his shoulder-length hair. "What if we make a Lego statue tonight, then take a picture of it so you can show Sonya and Karolina when you get back home?"

Paul positively beamed at me. "Really?"

"Yep. I promise."

Dimitri's nephew squeezed me so hard it moved the bones in my back.

"Can't. Breathe."

"Oops! Sorry!" Paul released me and I gasped for air.

"Food's ready!" Olena, Pavel, Tasha, and Yeva filed out of the kitchen, each carrying huge, steaming trays.

"Those men should be carrying these heavy loads." Yeva grunted as she set the food down on the dining table.

"Yeah, because women are so weak and should never even dare to leave the kitchen." I said.

Olena and Viktoria simply laughed as Yeva shot me a glare.

"Every woman except you, little girl. God forbid, you'd burn the kitchen to the ground."

"That was one time!"

"Who puts a burrito in the microwave for three hours and forgets about it?"

"It wasn't my fault. My fingers slipped and added too many zeroes."

"It just floors me. The burrito was burning for three hours straight."

"I was napping."

"You didn't smell the smoke from the flames?"

"Just be happy that I lived through the ordeal and didn't get burnt to a crisp."

"I am delighted, little girl."

"You're crazy."

"But you love me." Yeva grinned.

"That's true. I do."

Olena clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "That was an interesting tennis match. Now, will someone go get the boys outside?"

"I will!" Paul volunteered, booking it for the backyard.

"Sit! Sit!" Olena demanded, taking her own seat. "Let us eat! Honey, will Victor be joining us for this meal?"

"I hope so. Uncle V is the shit." Viktoria lowered beside her mother and grabbed a fork.

"I'll go check. His last chemo session was pretty rough…but he seemed to be feeling better last night."

I found Victor in his room, fresh out of the shower, dressed in cream slacks and one of his signature Hawaiian shirts.

"Morning, Uncle Victor. You look incredibly handsome today."

"Thank you, dear." he kissed my forehead and gave me a hug.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good enough to eat something." Victor smiled, but the strain from the disease was obvious in his body and face. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. How are you feeling, honey?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Jesus," Victor cursed. "You look so much like your mother at times, it steals my breath away. It's as if I'm living in the past."

Something in my belly tightened. "I'm sorry…what?"

"I miss her sometimes, in spite of the fact that she did all those horrible things to me. She is still my sister." Victor shook his head and locked his emotions away. "I'm sorry, dear. I shouldn't have brought that up."

"You miss her?" I asked bitterly. "I don't."

"She was your mother, Rosemarie. Of course you do."

"Biologically, yes, she was the one who gave birth to me. But…I hate her. And before you object, I have every right to. She didn't give a damn about me. She left me in a goddamn abandoned warehouse when I was sixteen and disappeared without a trace."

"Drugs can change people into entirely different individuals than they once were." Victor's green eyes burned. "Janine was a wonderful woman when she was young. Beautiful. Intelligent. Wanted to go to college. But she took a bad turn somewhere that lead her down the wrong road. Sometimes that's all it takes. One slip up, a mistake. And your whole life is screwed up. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to your mother."

Tears sprang to my eyes, but I blinked them away. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Your mother loved you. She did. I swear by it." Abruptly, he smiled. "I remember the first time I saw you…you were such a beautiful baby. You brought your mother such peace in her world of chaos. But sometimes, not even the ones you love most can stop you from doing something horrible. It was only a matter of time, Rosemarie. Janine couldn't be saved. Heroine really is the monster of all drugs." Victor sat down on the bed as if he was tired. "The only thing I wish for is that you remember Janine as the woman she truly was…before the drugs and the prostitution. She was a beautiful person with an even more beautiful heart. Don't forget that."

I settled beside him and laid my head on his shoulder. "I wish I could change stuff. You know, go back into the past and alter things before they got all screwed up."

"I don't."

"Why not?"

"Because, in spite of the fact that you believe this life is hell, it's heaven to me. What you and I have been through, Rosemarie, has made us stronger. How many people do you know that have been through the things we've been through and dealt with it as we have? We make the most of what we have."

"We roll with the punches." I added, laughing softly. "And go with the flow."

"Exactly." Victor patted my knee. "That's why I wouldn't change things. I get to have my niece in my life. I like the way things are now, whether they're tough as nails or easy as pie."

"Me, too." I admitted. "And you're right, we are pretty strong."

"Very strong."

"We're kind of like superheroes, you know. Batman and Robin."

"I'm Batman."

"Absolutely not. You're Robin. I'm Batman."

Victor groaned. "Robin sucks."

"That's why you're him"

My uncle jabbed me in the side with a finger.

"Ouch!"

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Victor and I called out, laughing.

Lissa and Christian walked in, hand in hand.

"Hey! Where've you been, girly?" I asked, shooting to my feet.

"Sydney, Liss, and I got the bread from that organic supermarket Babushka sent us to." Christian and Victor shook hands and hugged in that manly way. "Hey, Uncle V, how's it hanging?"

As the two of them conversed, Lissa led me out in the hallway, and whispered, "Mia couldn't make it."

"Really…why?"

"Aaron's sick." My best friend said. "You should have seen the disappointment on Darius' face when I announced the news."

"Ha ha," I said. "That guy is so goddamn whipped he doesn't even know what hit him."

"I feel bad." Lissa brushed some platinum blond hair out of her wide eyes.

"Darius is a big boy. He'll live."

She scowled. "I wished you'd show some empathy!"

"I'm starving. What'd you expect?" Without another glance, I headed for the dining table across the mansion.

* * *

><p>"So that's why I am positively convinced that Dimitri is a douche." Viktoria finished.<p>

I burst out laughing, along with everyone else.

"What's a douche?" Paul asked innocently.

Dimitri tensed beside me, clenching his jaw. "All right. That's enough stories about me. Pick on someone else."

Olena leaned across the cherry-wood and handed him a basket of fresh black bread.

"Thank you, mama."

"You're welcome, my son."

"Why'd you make them stop? I like listening to the tales. They were funny." I whispered in Dimitri's ear as Olena and Yeva dived into a story about Ivan and Darius back when they were in Baia high school.

"You're absolutely horrible," On the contrary, his voice was fond and full of adoration. He pressed a kiss to the back of my ear, making me shiver. "You enjoy watching me suffer, don't you?"

Sneakily, I laid my palm on his thigh and inched it higher and higher, getting closer to hitting home. "You bet your sweet ass I do."

Dimitri hissed under his breath and shot out of his chair so quickly it fell back and banged against the floor. I gasped in surprise when he lifted me up and tossed me over his left shoulder.

Everyone except Paul laughed knowingly when Dimitri barked something in Russian. Though I didn't speak the language, and aside from the obvious: me being slung over his body, it was the urgent tone in his voice that gave him away, not his words.

Yeva muttered a curse.

Dimitri broke out in a dead run, flying up the stairs, and into the bedroom.

Those wonderful full lips crashed down on mine.

"I cannot believe you just did that in front of your whole family," I laughed, breathless. "A little urgent...are we?"

"It's been a whole week since we've done anything. My body is aching all over."

"For a release or for me?"

Deep, feverish brown eyes met mine. "_For you,_" He said roughly and meaningfully, making me blush like a school girl.

"You'll get me later. But first, let me take care of you."

"What do you mean?"

***Start of M scene***

Stepping out of Dimitri's arms, I unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly, dropping his jeans to his ankles. Getting down on my knees, I brought his black briefs down with me. His erection sprang free, and although I had seen his arousal so many times before, the sheer size of him was still shocking. "God, you're huge."

Dimitri cracked a grin, pure male satisfaction at my apparently flattering compliment. It was the truth. I didn't say it to be nice, just honest.

A little more than hungry, I gripped his thick shaft and kissed the head. When my mouth made contact with his most sensitive skin, a sound got stuck in his throat and he kicked his head back.

I loved his reaction. It made me feel powerful. He was at my mercy. He'd surrendered himself over completely to me; I was free to do whatever the hell I pleased.

My hands squeezed the tip of him until he gasped from the pain and pleasure. The next time I grasped it, I held on until the plump head turned purple and a pearl size drop dispersed out the top, glistening and slick.

"Do you like that?" I tilted my head up and looked into his wild eyes.

In response, Dimitri twisted two fists in my hair, sending a sharp pain through my skull. With a nasty thrust, he shoved his shaft so far into my mouth and down my throat that I gagged.

"Bastard!" My God, him being rough with me was the biggest turn on. It made me feel alive. To pay him back for that not so gentle stunt, I smiled and gripped the back of his thighs, digging my nails into the thick cords of muscle and skin, drawing blood.

Dimitri's jaw tightened and he bit down hard on his teeth, grinding them. "Don't do that again." It came out as a snarl.

Something was hidden under that perfectly controlled exterior. Something dark and sexual. I made it my mission to pull it out and expose whatever it was. I didn't want Dimitri to be careful with me. I wanted him to be himself. His passionate, slightly animalistic self. And I would take everything that he had to give.

So what did I do to provoke it? I raked my nails up his thighs and squeezed his ass cheeks so tightly my fingers left marks.

Dimitri repeated the whole pull hair and shove thing. However, with this plunge, he forcefully held himself down my throat until I couldn't breathe. When he pulled out, I sloppily fell forward on my palms and desperately gasped for air.

Cursing to hell and back, I struggled to my feet, all the while Dimitri watched me, not helping one bit.

"That wasn't very nice," I pulled my bra and shirt over my head in one fluid motion, then rid my jeans and underwear. "Now it's time for some revenge."

Dimitri tossed his remaining clothes to the floor, and I lost some of my cool when I saw him in all his glory. His fierce body matched his face perfectly, with those hard angles and slightly sinister eyes.

"Put your hair down. I want it down."

The black hair tie was tossed carelessly to the ground, and his dark, thick mane fell loose around his shoulders.

I walked over to the massive, canopied bed and climbed aboard. "Come here," I growled after having rested on all floors.

Dimitri obliged, mounting the mattress and sliding up behind me. He braced his hands on my hips, those fingers biting into my skin almost painfully so.

"Bless the soul who invented birth control." he hissed, then began a torturous pace of sliding into the heart of my body. We both moaned as I was stretched wide to accommodate him, a lick of pain searing the bottom of my belly.

Once fully sheathed, Dimitri stilled, just breathing heavily.

"Aren't you going to do something?"

"I'm perfectly content with the feeling and sight."

"I bet you are. I bet you are." I started grinding against him, my body going up and down, like the waves of the ocean. It was similar to dancing in a way, just much more raunchy and erotic.

Turning my head over my shoulder, I stared at Dimitri. He was still unmoving, but his eyes had turned into two flames as he stared at our joined bodies, or more precisely, the way I was moving my hips wildly against his. A fresh layer of sweat covered his body, gleaming his tan skin. He reached up and brushed some stray hair out of his eyes.

I turned back to face the wall, keeping up with the whole bump-and-grind action.

Without warning, I felt Dimitri spank me. The slap rang loud in the room and I screamed his name, loosing my rhythm and stopping completely. The sore spot on my ass burned deliciously, and I knew that his palm had to be stinging from the impact.

"Do you like that?" Dimitri growled, taking control. Steadying one heavy hand on my shoulder, he began moving inside me, making me gasp from his sudden viscous pace.

Just to screw with him, I panted, "No. I don't."

He responded by increasing his tempo, which I didn't believe was possible, but evidently it was. My head bobbed roughly with each fierce thrust, I closed my eyes, taking him from tip to base. God, I was going to be sore in the morning. But the sex was so worth it now.

Dimitri slapped me again, this time on the other cheek, only harder. When I cried out, he grunted, "You may want to reconsider your answer, Roza. Do you like it?" Again, with the burning spank on the ass.

My mind was too far gone into ecstasy, my brain numb from his minding blowing pounding, that I just nodded my head like an idiot. "Yeah." I gasped, falling face first into the mountains of pillows, no longer able to hold my self upright on all fours. It felt like my body had been through a marathon, yet we weren't even done yet.

I glanced over my shoulder and watched him. He was glorious in action, every bit the God he was in fighting as he was in the bedroom. Covered in sweat and naked made him incredibly unbelievable.

Reaching forward, he snaked his hand across my skin, wrapping his arm around my thigh. Two fingers found my core, and he began moving them at blinding speed, stimulating my clit.

The pleasure kicked my ass, making my mind go utterly blank as I shattered apart from the force of my orgasm.

"I want to hear the words from your mouth. Tell me you like it." Dimitri demanded, lifting a powerful bicep behind his head, keeping the damp hair from falling into his eyes.

"I like it." I murmured numbly, like a robot.

"You like what?" The pace increased erratically until he was grunting each word with effort. He was holding himself back from his coming, straining to keep from going over the edge. "Tell me what you like. And use my name."

"I like when you spank me."

"No." he snarled. "I like when you spank me,_ Dimitri._ My name. _Say it._"

"I like when you spank me, Dimitri."

With one last painful slap to my cheeks, he threw his head back and roared his release.

***End of M scene***

Once our heartbeats and breathing returned to normal, Dimitri slid out and fell to the bed. Immediately, he pulled me into his side, draping heavy arms around me.

My body was wrapped in a blanket of bliss and content. I smiled up at him, running my fingers up and down his ribcage and stomach. "That was..."

"Extraordinary." The flush on his cheeks, the fresh sweat, the gleam in his brown eyes, it all took my breath away. It was exhilarating knowing that only I could put such a look of pleasure on his glowing face.

"I don't believe that even begins to cover it."

"I think you're right." his tone went from soft to hard in an instant. "Did I hurt you? I was rough-"

"You think?" I scoffed. When his body went rigid, I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his. He relaxed a moment later and kissed me back, lovingly and tenderly. It was completely at odds with the way he'd handled me earlier.

"Don't worry about me, Comrade. I'm not made out of glass. I won't break."

"But your skin is so soft," Dimitri winked. "You're durable. I know that. But...I'll be easier with you in the future. I promise."

"We'll talk about that later," I yawned, hanging a lazy arm over his hips. "Sleep now. And no waking me up for additional rounds. I'm exhausted."

He chuckled richly. After pulling the blankets up to our chests, Dimitri made sure that my head was properly supported by a pillow. With fingers light as a feather on my spine, he drew three words:_ I LOVE YOU_, over and over again on my skin until I was eased into sleep.

* * *

><p>"Alright, Paul. Here's the last one." I slid the shiny photo out of the printer and handed it to him.<p>

Dimitri's nephew gazed at the fifth pic of the Lego statue we'd created. When those brown eyes flicked back up, he beamed at me. "My, gosh. Auntie Roza! Mama and Auntie Sonya are going to love it! I'll show Zoya too, even though she probably won't understand because she's just a baby."

I laughed and ruffled his hair. "You do that, buddy. You do that. Hey, wanna go play with uncle Darius and Ivan in the basement? They're on the air hockey machine-"

"No, no, no, no." Viktoria chided. "It's bed time."

"What?" Paul whined, dragging out the word. "No! Please, Aunt Vika. Don't make me go!"

She shot her nephew a sharp look. "I don't make the rules, I just enforce them."

"Auntttttttt Vikaaaaaa! Pleaseeeeeee! Nooooo!"

Dimitri strode in the room, a glass of clear liquid with ice in one hand. "Listen to your aunt, Paul."

Paul shrunk under his uncles hard tone. Clutching the photos to his chest and nodding, he said, "Okay. Sorry. Goodnight."

After kisses and hugs to everyone, Paul ran up the stairs to his bedroom. I smiled, admitting that Dimitri was a pretty cool uncle to have. Scary at times, but still cool. The Belikov family visited only every few months, but Dimitri still had a permanent room for each one of them in the mansion.

Paul's was decked out in blew and green paint with a space them. Mobiles of the solar system hung from the wall, perfectly aligned planets. Stick a thousand glow in the dark stars to the walls and ceilings, add a plasma screen, an Xbox, and you had the complete hook up.

I would have moved into Paul's room in a heartbeat if Dimitri hadn't laughed and told me no.

I walked over to the God reincarnate and stepped into his awaiting arms.

Viktoria made little teasing kissing noises that had me rolling my eyes.

"Oh, thanks! I'm dying to thirst." Grabbing the glass out of his hand and bringing it to my lips, I swallowed a big gulp.

Only to lurch forward and spray the liquid out. "Christ!" I coughed, my throat and lungs burning. "What the hell is that shit? It taste like gasoline."

Viktoria was rolling on the leather couch, crying her eyes out, hysterical with laughter. "Oh, my _GOD!_ I can't breathe!"

Dimitri was smiling broadly, trying to contain himself. "It's vodka, Roza."

"That ain't vodka." I rubbed my stinging eyes. "I've tasted vodka before. Many times."

"Not the Russian kind," Yeva strolled into the room, Olena right behind her. "You Americans are such lightweights."

"I'd like to see you drink some of this without spitting it all over the room, Babushka. This shit makes you feel on fire." I held up the still full glass.

Yeva walked over and grabbed it, then tipped her head back and downed the whole thing in one fluid motion. She made a refreshed noise and grinned at me.

Respect and admiration filled my chest. My mouth fell wide open, making a perfect O. "Holy shit. That was awesome."


	14. Chapter 14: Devote yourself to me

**A/N:** Again, thank you all so much for your amazing reviews! I always love hearing what you guys have to say. I hope you enjoy this chapter! :-)

* * *

><p><strong>MPOV: <strong>

"Ugh. I feel like shiiiiiiiiiit." Aaron groaned.

"I know, honey. I know. I'm sorry." Placing a palm to his clammy forehead, I felt a twinge of nausea boil in my gut as his hot sweat covered my skin. "It'll be over in ten more hours."

"But it's already been like...a gazillion hours!"

"Actually, only fourteen. But yeah, it'll be over soon and you'll be back to normal."

"Get me some soup, will ya?"

My anger spiked at his request. My boyfriend had been like this all day. Treating me like a servant. I wouldn't have minded playing the butler role, had he actually been appreciative of my hard work and coughed up a thank you here and there, instead of his usual _that's okay_ or _hmmm, could be better but it'll do._

I bet Darius would be more than grateful if I was taking care of him while he was ill.

I shook my head. Why did my thoughts always drift towards that man?

Plastering a Barbie smile on my face, I pressed a kiss against his sticky cheek and headed for the door. "I'll be right back with your soup. Would you like anything else?"

"Some tea...if it wouldn't be too much of a burden."

I ground my teeth in annoyance, still keeping up with the plastic grin. "Of course. You just rest, sweetheart."

Downstairs in the kitchen, I grumbled curse after curse under my breath as I pulled out a pan, opened the can of soup, and waited for the broth to boil. My movements were sharp and angry, making loud noises as I ripped a mug from the cupboard and filled it with water from the sink. "That's right, Aaron. You're getting tap water, whether you like it or not. Oh, and your tea? It's instant. Yeah, I said instant. I'm not waiting for the damn kettle to boil. You can kiss my ass if you want me to check the temperature. I hope it burns your goddamn filthy rich tongue."

I took a deep breath and exhaled. God, where had all this hatred come from? I needed to get a grip. l was talking bad to myself about my boyfriend in his mothers kitchen while he was sick upstairs waiting for me to come and ease his pain.

It was cruel of me, now that I thought of it.

The soup had just started to bubble when my phone bumped up the Jay-Z song. I glanced at the screen. "Jesus Christ." It was the seventeenth time Darius had called in the hour. With a swift movement, I hit the reject button before I could do something stupid.

The call ended in the middle of the fourth ring, and I was well aware that Darius knew what I was doing.

A moment later, the cell buzzed and the screen read:

_Darius_

_VOICE MAIL_

Fingers shaking, I entered my password, then held the device to my ear.

"Mia..." I closed my eyes at the sound of his brass voice, biting my lip. "Why are you ignoring me? What did I do? Whatever it was, I'm sorry. Please let me make it up to you." There was yearning in his tone, and it broke my heart because I knew what we had would never lead to anything. "Shit. Something's gotta tone down all this testosterone, so I'm just gonna go out there and say this: I really miss you, _Tesoro_—"

I erased the message, not able to stand hearing anymore.

Eyes burning, I scrolled through the list, pressed dozens of buttons, then hit confirm, blocking Darius' number permanently.

* * *

><p><em>1 week later…<em>

**DPOV:**

There was a delicious weight cradled in my lap as Rose straddled me, placing kisses up and down my bare chest. "I know you're awake. Don't play with me, Comrade."

I smiled inwardly, trying to keep my mouth from twitching.

"Open your eyes!" she braced her palms against my pectorals and started to push and shake. Minutes later, she exhaled in annoyance. "Fine. I give up. No relieving that morning wood."

When she made a move to climb down from my hips, my eyes snapped open and I clamped my palms around her thighs. "You're not going anywhere," I growled playfully. Leaning up, I stuffed my face into the crook of her neck and nibbled on the soft creamy skin.

A giggle bubbled out of her mouth. "Happy birthday!"

My face still stuffed in her hair, I flipped Rose over and rested on top of her, entering her with one deep thrust. She arched cat-like and groaned.

"Good morning," I smiled at the blissful expression on her delicate face. Her hair was tangled from sleep, locks curling this way and that way. Raspberry lips were dark and swollen, parted from pleasure. Brown eyes were wide and sparkling.

She couldn't have been more tempting.

Fifteen minutes later, we were in a tangle of sheets and naked limbs. Rose gazed up at me, tracing the line of my jaw with gentle fingertips. "How does it feel being thirty-two?"

"My family is safe. My friends are happy. I'm in my home, with the love of my life's warm body in my arms. And for the next hour or so, we're going to be making love. How do you think I feel?"

"Like an old grandpa?"

I laughed, then nuzzled her bare breasts, mounting her once again. "Roza, you make me feel anything but old."

* * *

><p>Sitting on the bed, dressed in a fresh Hanes T-shirt and jeans, I was enjoying the view of Rose drying off from the shower we had, when she turn around and said something that completely stunned me.<p>

"Marry me?"

I quickly regained my composure. "No."

Hurt flashed across her face. The ache was heavy in my chest to realize that she'd been serious.

"Why?" Rose asked.

"Because that's my job,"

"Then get down on one knee and ask. Here," she stuck out her left hand, wiggling her ring finger. "You know what? We don't even need a ring. We can get tattoos. How awesome would that be? But, wait. You hate tattoos. So what are we stuck with now—"

"Roza," I interrupted. "Where's all this coming from?"

She wrapped the towel around her body and walked out to the bedroom. I watched her feet for a moment. Her toenails were like little shells, painted in a strange reddish-orange color that complimented her golden skin wonderfully. God, I loved her feet. Matter of fact, I loved everything about her.

Rose dropped down on the canopied bed, face pinched with a sour expression. "Christian and Lissa are engaged."

"Really?"

She nodded bitterly.

"That's nice."

"No, it's not! Shit. I think I'm having a mid-life crisis."

I outright laughed.

"No! I'm serious, Dimitri! I'm almost twenty-four. I have no future plans. I haven't gone to college. I have no purpose. Where is my life going? As for Lissa? She's got everything perfect. A fiancé that she loves. Caring parents. Her own place. A degree. A job. A car. Money. Next thing you know, she's going to be announcing her pregnancy. And me? Nothing.

Grabbing her hands in mine, I met her frantic eyes and said, "All of that's ridiculous. Lissa isn't you. Lissa is…_Lissa._ Can you honestly say that's who you really want to be?"

"Everything about her life is perfect."

"Perfect isn't you. It's never been." I put a finger to her lips when I knew she was about to argue. "No matter how much you deny it, I know marriage isn't something you want right now. Stop worrying about what other people expect of you. Don't compare your life to theirs."

"You haven't even asked me to be your girlfriend!" she blurted.

My lips twitched into a smile. Her words warmed me like nothing else would. "Is that what you'd like?"

Rose glanced down sheepishly. "Yeah. But…you haven't asked me yet. Does that mean you don't want me?"

I captured her face in my palms. "My desire for you is the last thing you need to worry about," My mouth pressed against hers. Getting down on my knees before her, I scooted between her thighs and asked, "Roza, would you be my girlfriend?"

"God, I'm blushing and smiling like I'm in high school again when you first asked me out," Roza giggled, then gnawed on her bottom lip. "With you bowing down, looking at me like a starving tiger…I guess I have no choice but to say yes."

I laid her down on the mattress and showed her how much I loved her. Over and over again.

* * *

><p><strong>RPOV: <strong>

"Seriously, Dimitri. No more. There has to be a limit." We emerged from our bedroom two hours later, hand in hand, heading down the grand staircase for lunch. "I'm your girlfriend and I can make that call now. No sex. I think you may be an addict."

Dimitri traced a soothing pattern over my wrist with his thumb pad. "I'm addicted to your body, Roza, not the sex."

Yeva was on her way to the kitchen, when she stopped and halted back. "My grandson…happy birthday. Roza, go back up stairs and cover up those hickeys."

I had to laugh. "Hello to you too, Babushka."

As the two of them embraced and spoke adoringly in their native tongue, I headed for the dining table where the whole crew was munching on some strange looking food that was unfamiliar to me.

"Good morning, Auntie Roza!" Paul sang cheerfully.

"That Borscht?" I guessed as I sat down, my face scrunching up in disgust.

Viktoria rolled her eyes. "Not all Russian food is Borscht, Roza."

Pavel strolled out of the kitchen. "It's pirozhki and pelmeni. Olena insisted that she make it herself this morning. Using her secret recipe." he gave her a smile, something that was rare on his hard face.

"That's great," I said. "Mind whipping me up some bacon and eggs?"

"Roza," Dimitri warned, taking the seat beside me. Yeva went around to the other side. The Belikov family and friends shouted their birthday wishes at him.

"What?" I asked innocently, staring at Olena. "You're a great cook, mom. It's just that…I don't favor eating kangaroo or dog or whatever Russians eat."

Darius and Ivan practically choked on their food. Viktoria leaned to her left and patted Ivan's back, her brown eyes full of lust.

I counted their age difference in my head. Not gonna work. Oh, boy. I only hoped Dimitri didn't notice his little sister drooling over his business partner. I was positive that Ivan wouldn't take an interest in Viktoria romantically, but still…that was just dangerous territory.

When the stunning blond smiled at her and said his thank you, Viktoria lit up like a Christmas tree.

"I guarantee you Roza, there is nothing in this meat that you haven't eaten before." Dimitri kissed me once, then began scooping food onto my plate.

"All right. That's enough. Thank you, babe."

Everyone watched me closely as I took my first bite. Much to my surprise, I moaned and quickly sunk my teeth into more pelmini. "That's delicious. Quite possibly the best lunch I have ever had. Thank you, mom."

Olena smile, but she didn't look surprised. "No worries, Roza. Take as much as you like."

Boy, did I. I went back for seconds. And thirds. And fourths. Then settled on an unusual but tasty pastry.

* * *

><p><strong>LPOV:<strong>

"Be good at this party. I'm not kidding. No inappropriate jokes or asking people to arm wrestle with you after you've had one too many drinks." I told Christian as we waited in my white Mercedes convertible outside Mia's house. "That goes for you too, Adrian."

He grunted, taking yet another sip from the silver flask in his palm. "Whatever. I cannot believe you're dragging me to the cradle robber's birthday party. Sydney's filing a restraining order against me."

"It's important to Rose. So I expect both of you to be on your best behavior. There's going to be a ton of people there. Rich, snotty ones. So don't make this night any worse than it has to be."

"Yeah, sure, mother." Adrian muttered.

Christian drummed his thumbs against his thighs, clearly bored. "Hey, babe. Wanna make out while we're waiting? It'll past the time. And frankly, I'm in desperate need of a little tongue action. You haven't been putting out for weeks—"

I cut him off with a smack to the back of the head.

"Ouch!"

"Thank, God." Adrian said. "I was about to hurl back here all over your precious leather seats."

The door to the luxurious studio apartment opened and out walked Mia and her boyfriend Aaron.

As my second best friend neared the car, I couldn't help but notice how anxious and tense she looked. "Hey, guys!" she forced a cheerful tone.

"You look great," I told her, giving her fantastic shimmering silver gown a once over.

"Thanks." Mia and Aaron climbed in the backseat, squeezing beside a complaining Adrian.

Turning the key in the ignition, the engine purred to life and smoothed out on the quiet street of Cambridge Hill.

"How are you feeling, Aaron?" I asked, smiling at him in the rear view mirror. Making conversation with the guy was like talking to a wall. And it wasn't because he lacked in the social skills department, he was just a shallow jerk like that. If he didn't believe you were worthy of his time, he didn't give a rats ass how rude you believed him to be.

"Better."

"Are you still sick?"

"No."

"No? Did it pass?"

"Yeah," Aaron grumbled. "It passed."

"I was worried about you."

"Okay."

"Anyways, that's good. I'm glad you were able to make it to this party with us."

He didn't say anything.

However, Christian did.

"She's talking to you, dickhead. Have enough respect to at least pretend like you're half interested in what my girl has to say."

Adrian chuckled, choking back the last of vodka.

Yeah, all conversation pretty much ceased to exist the rest of the car ride.

* * *

><p>"Access granted. Please enter." The robotic voice said, opening the massive iron gates.<p>

"Who the hell has a twenty-one digit security code?" Adrian shook his head in disbelief.

"Dimitri, apparently."

"Shit. Would you look at how many cars are there. You'd think Jesus was making his third coming." Christian's face pinched tight over his sky-high cheekbones.

He wasn't one for crowds or social events. Most of the time he just lingered in the corner, waiting for it to be over. I felt bad for putting him in a uncomfortable situation, but I was doing this for my best friend and Dimitri. I respected the hell out of him. He knew how to handle Rose and that was just what the loose cannon needed.

Ten minutes later, we finally found a spot out on the back of the gravel road and parked it. Christian ran around the other side, and like the gentleman he was only with me, hooked his arm around my waist and helped me walk through the rocks.

"Thanks." I gave him a kiss, to which he happily returned.

"Just didn't want you to fall," he murmured. "High-heels can be very dangerous."

"Bet you would know from experience," Adrian slurred slightly. "Dancing naked in front of the mirror with your dick tucked behind your ass and some pumps on can be dangerous, too."

As Mia and I coughed to cover up our laughter, Christian gave Adrian the bird and mouthed a very nasty word I didn't dare repeat to anyone.

Inside the mansion, there was a sea of people mingling and laughing in fancy dresses and expensive suits drinking unusual cocktails. Mia and Aaron joined the crowd while Adrian made like a moth to a light and pursued a pair of brunettes.

"Oh, God," Christian gagged, choking back a cracker with caviar spread over the top. "That's disgusting. What the fuck is that?"

The caterer held his silver stray, staring at Christian with a worried expression.

Running over and yanking on his arm, I quickly dragged him out of the circle of people gawking at him. "You just ate fish eggs." I told my fiance.

"Ewww." Using his palms like napkins, he frantically wiped off his tongue. "God…rich people…"

I should have been grossed out, but instead I rolled my eyes and laughed.

Suddenly, clapping erupted as Dimitri finally made his appearance. He descended the stairs in a deep grey suit and silk black shirt. Beside him, smiling and holding his hand, was Rose in an emerald green gown that brushed the floor.

"They're beautiful together, aren't they?" Darius said.

I glanced over and had to look up and up to meet his piercing blue stare. His suit—which I didn't believe they made sizes that huge—was the same color of his jet-black chopped hair. Ivan stood next to his friend, clad in all white, his beauty something from above.

Although I was in a happy relationship, it was hard not to gape at the two males. Nodding, I said, "Yeah. They're beautiful. Amazing."

Distantly, I was aware of the crowd greeting Dimitri and glaring at Rose in envy of her spot with one of the richest men in the world. To my best friend's absolute credit, she kept her cool, smiling and accepting air kisses from complete strangers.

"Where's Mia?" Darius asked.

"Give it a rest, man," Christian grabbed my hand. "She's here with her boyfriend."

Something dangerous flashed in Darius' eyes. He finished off his martini and set it on a passing caterer's tray. "That's wonderful. I'll go welcome our two new guests."

When he made a move to go searching through the crowd, no doubt looking for trouble, a hand clamped on the man's bicep.

"No." Ivan's voice was quiet and deep, deadly. "Don't even start. Not tonight."

Darius shrugged off the grip effortlessly. "S'all good. I just gotta take a piss."

Obviously not wanting to create a scene, Ivan grimaced and released his close friend, watching as the six-foot-nine frame disappeared in to the throng of Couture and Armani covered bodies.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, I was sitting on a couch with aching feet watching my best friend fight not to knock someone out. A woman in her late twenties with blond hair, silicone filled breasts, and everything Barbie and Playboy stood in front of Rose, talking animatedly with her manicured hands as she sipped on her countless flute of Champagne.<p>

From where I was, it was impossible to hear what Blondie was saying over the hum of voices in the mansion. I could tell from the strain in Rose's face that she wished she was with the man she loved so that he could provide her with strength and comfort.

Unfortunately, Dimitri was standing on the other side of the room, talking with an endless stream of people who seemed to attach themselves to him like chewed gum on the sole of a shoe. If Dimitri even tried to get away from his swarm of admirers, it would be like fighting off an army.

"Don't worry about her, babe," Christian massaged my shoulders. "Rose can handle herself."

"It's not her I'm worried about,"

"Would you look at that," My fiancé leaned forward and grabbed my left wrist. "Your hands are even more beautiful with my ring on. I didn't think it was possible."

I giggled and leaned forward to kiss him. His lips were perfect and so soft, like silk. I couldn't get enough of his love—

Mia ran up to us, heels clinking against the ivory marble. When I raised my eyes, tears were streaming out of hers, mascara running down her red cheeks.

"What's wrong, baby?" I stood up, immediately bringing her into my arms.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." She sniffled, smearing some of the black makeup with her fingers. "I just…can we go? Aaron really wants to leave."

"What's wrong?" Automatically, we headed for the door. The last thing she needed right now was more distress. Christian followed, placing a hand to the small of my back, letting me know that he was there for the both of us.

"He thinks I like Darius," Mia hiccuped. "Earlier, he went to the restroom, and when he came back, he caught Darius and I arguing…oh, God. What have I done?"

"Yeah, Darius is a little intoxicated right now. Probably wasn't very smart of him to confront you like that. What were you two fighting about?"

"I blocked his number," Mia took shallow breaths, as if she were trying extremely hard not to start crying again. "He's angry with me that I did. And then Aaron came up and was like, _You gave this guy your number?_ When I told him no, he didn't believe me. Even when I begged him to. Oh, gosh, do you think he's going to break up with me?"

Funny thing about Mia was that she could take on the world by herself, but bring her around Aaron, and she turned into a hopeless woman trying desperately to cling onto her man. It disgusted me that she would do anything to keep a scumbag like Aaron.

Like the pathetic excuse of a boyfriend that he was, Aaron made his anger clear by walking ten feet ahead, ignoring us as if we weren't there.

Mia cried harder.

It was great to be outside and away from the watchful eyes of the rich snobs.

That relief soon vanished as I spotted Darius leaning against a wall, smoking a cigarette.

Praying that he wouldn't be stupid and just stay where he was, I clutched Mia further into my side and made quick strides for the Mercedes.

"Don't leave with him, Princess _._" Darius called out, pinching the orange cherry between his thumb and forefinger. "You deserve so much better."

She stopped and scoffed. "Like you?"

"Whoever you decide is worthy of being with you. That doesn't mean it's me. He doesn't treat you right. And you know that."

"Get lost, punk. We're leaving, Mia." Suddenly, Aaron became very possessive of his girlfriend. He yanked on her arm. "Let's go. Now."

"Ouch! Aaron," Mia lurched forward from one of his nasty tugs. "Please…stop! You're hurting my arm."

That was naturally Darius' cue to go apeshit.

Christian and I were smart enough to get out of the way as he stalked over. With an eerie calm, Darius clamped his huge hand on Aaron's shoulder. "Hey, buddy. How you doing? I'm the guy who's going to steal your girl. Just thought you should know that before I pick you up like sack of potatoes and toss you over there."

Darius was a man of his words.

Aaron landed on the hood of my convertible.

"Holy crap!" I ran over, more worried about the condition of my vehicle than the person on it. "Darius, that's going to leave a huge dent."

"My sincere apologies, _senorita. _Leave me your insurance information, and I will gladly pay for the damages_._" Despite his relaxed tone, there was something sinister and dark in his cruel face as he stared at Mia kneeled by Aaron on the ground. "Lord knows it was worth every single penny."

Mia stood up, blazing with her anger. "How could you do this! You son of a bitch!"

Darius just stood there calmly as she walked up and slapped the man with a force that kicked his head to the side.

Christian grabbed my waist protectively. "He just fucked up badly."

"Ya think?" I muttered.

"What the fuck is going on?" Dimitri boomed. He cursed and looked around, taking in the situation.

"Ivan...get Darius the hell out of here." Dimitri commanded. "Get him a pan and take him to his room. Make sure he stays there."

Darius allowed himself to be dragged off by Ivan in a choke hold.

Dimitri stared back at us. "All of you go. Now. Take Aaron to the hospital. I wouldn't be surprised if he's got multiple broken bones and internal bleeding."

Christian gave me a reassuring hand squeeze, then went over to help Mia get Aaron off the ground. The two of them sandwiched him while I ran to the car and opened the back door.

The curse and echoing footsteps told me Dimitri had stalked back inside the mansion.

* * *

><p><strong>RPOV:<strong>

"Oops!" Yeva tipped her drink all over the front of Brittany's sparkling blue dress.

Blondie, aka Dimitri's ex-lover and commercial model, screamed in horror as she made a fuss out of uselessly scrubbing the fabric with a napkin.

It was hard to stifle my laugh when Yeva went into innocent mode. The lady was a good actress. "Oh, dear! Look at the mess I've made! I am so sorry. I tripped and fell."

Brittany shot Dimitri's grandmother a murderous glare, then dramatically walked off into the kitchen, shouting for someone to help her. Two men eagerly took the job.

"That was good, Babushka. That was good." I bumped knuckles with Yeva.

She shrugged. "She was a savage that needed to be stopped."

"Did you see the way she was rubbing her relationship with Dimitri in my face? _Dimka and I work so well together! Dimka and I make magic! Dimka and I are so close!_" I mimicked her nasally, high-pitched voice. "You're a saint, Babushka."

"Tell me something I don't know," Yeva averted her eyes and smoothed out her rose patterned blouse and long black skirt, as if she was uncomfortable. "That savage was bothering you. I don't stand for people messing with my grandbabies."

I grinned so big it was a wonder my face didn't crack. "Did you just call me your grandbaby? Uh-oh. Babushka's getting all protective over me! Admit it, you like me!"

She grunted, polishing off her drink. "Don't get all sappy on me, little girl."

Nothing could have taken my happiness away from me in that moment.

"Hey, I'm not getting lucky tonight." Adrian slurred, sauntering up to us. "They left me. Can I crash here?"

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Yeah. You can take any one of those guest bedrooms over there in that hallway." I pointed.

"Thanks. Night." he grunted. And then he was gone, just like that.

* * *

><p>"Hi." I said.<p>

Dimitri shut the bedroom door, and when he turned around, he stopped dead in his tracks, those beautiful brown eyes bugging out of his skull. "Fuck. Me."

"Oh, I plan to," I purred, climbing off the bed like a prowling cat. "Happy birthday—oh, what the hell. Can you just lick it off already? The whip cream and chocolate syrup is really sticky. I hate it. And I'm sorry, but I already ate the two cherries."

My boyfriend—God, that sounded so good—chuckled as he strode over and picked me up in his arms. "You alone are sweeter than anything I could ever need or want,"

I rolled my eyes and smacked his chest. "You're so cheesy. But I love it."

Dimitri licked a trail from the bottom of my breast to the tip of my chin. He lifted his head and smiled at me, swallowing the dessert as he carried me to the shower.

"Best. Birthday. Ever." he said.


	15. Chapter 15: When you're Gone

**A/N: **I currently have 4 active stories, am going to school, volunteering, and working, so please believe me when I say that I'm trying as hard as I can to get as many updates possible out there to you guys :-) I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit on the late side, but I sincerely hope you guys still enjoy it!

**Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns Vampire Academy.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>2 MONTHS LATER… <strong>_

**RPOV:**

I slammed my palm against Dimitri's chest, right over his heart. "I win."

He grinned, flipped me over on my back, and kissed me hard. "Well done."

"Did I do better than last time, Mentor?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck and pecking him on the mouth twice, stealing a lick.

"Much better," he murmured, nibbling up my jaw to my chin. Then he pulled back and turned serious. "Actually, you're improving at a…alarming rate."

"That bad or good?"

"It's great. You're an amazing fighter." That playfulness returned as he dropped his head, biting and sucking on my earlobe. "It was just unexpected, that's all. But I shouldn't be surprised, you always exceed at everything."

"I love you, too."

"You want to show me how much?"

Groaning, I shook my head and ran my fingers through his silky hair. "You have to go soon."

"Right. I forgot." Dimitri swore. Wrapping his arms around my body, he climbed to his feet and brought his mouth to mine once again. "When I'm with you, everything around me ceases to exist."

"You're so goddamn sappy." Giggling, I wrapped my legs around his waist and rocked my hips.

We both gasped.

"Do we have time for a quick shower?" I asked hopefully.

"There's defiantly time."

* * *

><p>"I'm going to miss you," I stared into Dimitri's bottomless eyes—the ones that made me feel at home no matter where I was, as long as I was with him.<p>

"I'll call you tonight, Love. Promise."

"I'm looking forward to it." Our mouths met and I got lost in the satin feeling of his lips and the warm wetness of his tongue—

"Dear, God. My virgin eyes." Darius muttered, breaking us from our passionate lip lock. "She's not a baby, you know. She can walk on her own."

"Make him shut up." I said, never looking away from my boyfriend. We were in our own little world.

"Why don't you use one of those red gag balls boss loves so much? That ought to keep my pie hole quiet."

"What's up with you?" Dimitri turned his head and stared at the colossal man.

"I'm heartbroken." Darius rubbed his chest and winced, parking his ass on the ivory silk couch.

Ivan descended the stairs, suitcases in hand. He outright laughed. "You're still mad about that?"

"Will be until the day I die."

"Isn't that a little melodramatic considering the insignificance of this situation?"

"You stepped on my season four DVD box set of Everybody Loves Raymond and cracked discs five and six! They're ruined!"

"Like I said a dozen times already, I apologize. It was an accident. And it wouldn't have happened had you not shoved me."

"I hate your gigantic feet." Darius crossed his massive arms.

"You're two sizes larger than me—"

"In more ways than one."

"—Bigfoot. By the way, I don't see what the deal is. It's just Ray fucking Romano."

"How dare you." Darius' face was incredulous, his tone disbelieving. "I love Robert, he's so damn funny. And Marie is hot...in that mature kind of way."

"You're sick, man." Ivan said. "You're sick."

"We have to go," Dimitri's tone was impatient; obviously he was annoyed with the two. "The jet is waiting."

My insides filled with sorrow, and my boyfriend must have noticed the change because he tipped my head up with one long finger. "I'll be back in two days, Roza. The time will fly by…and I'll call you as soon as I land in Australia." He set me down on my feet.

I looked over at Ivan. My expression had to be murderous because the man recoiled and shuddered a little. "Take care of him for me. Or else."

Dimitri's business partner put a fist to the left side of his chest and bowed slightly. "With my life."

"I always knew I liked you."

"As for you," Dimitri pointed at Darius, then, as if wanting to protect me from the words, he switched languages and spoke with Darius in Italian.

The conversation ended with:

"My mother loves cooking Italian sausages." Darius said.

"Yeah, that she does. But I don't believe she'd want to use _your _Italian sausage in her recipes after I cut it off your sac and FedEx it to her in a bloody package. Which is exactly what will go down if anything happens to my wife. Do you understand? She sheds one goddamn tear and you're—"

"Dimitri!" I barked. "That's enough."

"Just have to make sure you're safe while I'm gone. She will be safe, right, D?"

"Of course. You love her? I love her. You'd die for her? I'd die for her, too."

"You're all right, you know that. Not so much of a cocksucker as I thought you were."

"Aw, you're so kind. Now I'm blushing."

Seventeen minutes later, Dimitri and Ivan had boarded the mansion's private jet, left the grounds, and were on their way to beautiful Aussie for a business signing for one of Dimitri's brand spanking new hotels.

And I was crying softly.

"Oh, God," Darius looked sick as he guarded his groin area with his hands. "Please don't do that. If Dimitri finds out…yeah, I'd like to keep my balls, thank you very much."

Laughing and sniffling, I rubbed my nose with the back of my hand in a very unladylike manner. "Sorry…I just miss him so much already. And it's all good. I won't tell him."

A slow, sneaky grin spread across Darius' cruelly handsome face. "I'm supposed to be filling out these arrangement things for Dimitri's savings and tax treatment, but…you wanna go have a beer and play some foosball in the basement?"

"You read my mind." I booked it across the mansions marble floors. "Last one there has to grab the tortilla chips and guacamole!"

* * *

><p>"I miss the Belikov's," I said out of the blue, munching on caramel popcorn while we watched the Maury show. Without warning, the mysterious note flashed in my head:<p>

_I KNOW WHAT YOU DID._

"Yeah, me too. They're great people—He is _not _the father! I knew it! That baby don't look anything like him." Darius shot out of his seat and got right up in the plasmas face.

"Especially Yeva, you know. I never thought I'd say this, but, that crazy old lady grew on me. We've got this special bond going. Don't get me wrong, she still drives me up the wall…are you even listening to me?"

_FOUND HIM FLOATING NEAR THE EDGES OF THE RIVER._

"Look at him dancing around, all happy and shit that he doesn't have to pay child support." Darius cracked up, staring at the screen.

"I feel bad for the girl."

"It's her eleventh time on the show. I've seen her before." he shook his head. "She needs to learn how to use a condom."

"You don't use a condom."

Darius arched a black brown, blue eyes piercing, lips quirked, like he couldn't believe what had come out of my mouth. "And how would you know?"

_YOUR PLAN DIDN'T WORK AS WELL AS YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD, DID IT._

"Dimitri told me you like to go bareback." I took a sip of my Coke. "That's not safe. Actually, it's pretty fucking stupid."

"Save your breath. My mama already did the birds and the bee's talk." he waved his hand. "I only use quality girls."

"Oh, yeah," I scoffed, and continued on, even though it was none of my business. "They must be real worthy women there. How long does it take you to get into their pants? An hour? Two tops? You really know how to pick them."

_IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO HAVE THAT SECRET EXPOSED TO THE PUBLIC._

"I'm clean. Okay? I get my shit checked all the time. And screw that, Mary Poppins. I know you and Dimtri fuck without protection."

As I cringed from his bold words, his face went gentle and he grabbed my hand. "Look, that was totally uncalled for. I'm sorry. It's just that…I guess I'm a little resentful."

"Of what?"

"The beautiful thing you and Dimitri have going. I know I'll never have that."

"You don't know…you _think._"

He frowned.

Signed: _-I'M SURE YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD GODDAMN IDEA._

"I know you want Mia," I said. Darius recoiled at the sound of her name. "Why don't you go after?"

"She's got a boyfriend. And she told me they were getting engaged."

"Either way, she's not married, is she? No. So go get her, big boy…before it's too late."

"I've tried. Believe that." Darius tipped his head back and finished off his Corona. "I wouldn't be surprised if Princess gets a restraining order against me."

"You did kick her boyfriend's ass," I chuckled softly. "By the way, that was pretty frickin' awesome. Guy's a douche. He deserved it and then some."

"I feel you on that one."

We bumped knuckles.

On habit, I checked the time. It was late. Really late. Which meant I was expecting Dimitri's call soon.

"Can we please stop talking about that Little Firecracker?"

"Sure." I shrugged. "Whatever. It's your love life. Not mine."

"Don't say it like that," he said. "I have a spectacular love life."

Both of my brows cocked, thanks to my inability to raise one.

"Fine. Okay. You're right." he muttered defensively. "Have it your way, _senorita._ I have a spectacular sex life."

"So do I." I grinned proudly.

"All right," Darius shuffled to his feet. "I'ma make sure the alarms are set, then hit the sack. Anything you need?"

I shook my head. "Good night."

"G'night." After a kiss to my cheek and a pat to my knee, he was off.

I called out his name.

"Yeah?" Darius paused on the stairs, looking back at me.

"How'd you get that scar on your face?" The question was so random, so uncalled for, but I still had this urgency to ask him.

His jaw set hard, electric-blue eyes turning to stone.

"I'm sorry. That was completely wrong of me—"

"My ex fiancé gave it to me…I suppose as a parting gift." His cold, harsh laugh made me shiver. "After I found out that she was pregnant with another mans baby, I was so miserable and my heart ached constantly, but no matter how angry I was with her, I'd never lay a hand on her. So I left."

"And what'd she do?"

"Came after me. With a knife." When I gasped, he pointed to the scar on his face. "And that's how this nasty little bitch right here came about."

"Oh, my God," I said. Just thinking about all the pain he suffered had my anger boiling. I felt strangely protective over Darius, he was like the big brother I'd never had, and I realized that in that moment, I'd lay my life on the line to protect him. "I'm so sorry."

"Nah. S'all good, baby girl. I got my payback."

Something close to dread twisted in my stomach. "You _hurt_ her?" As evil as it was, I was glad.

"I would have if she wasn't a woman. But I don't stand for that kind of shit."

"You went after the man?"

"Yup." All of the _hows_ and _wheres_ and _what happends_ remained in the air as he gave me a secret smile, waved, and mounted the stairs.

Staring at the steps where Darius had just disappeared, my heart was racing, my brain scrambled with two words: Holy shit.

My cell's upbeat tone spilled in to the room and I jumped, then realized who it was and immediately flipped it open. "Dimitri!"

Okay, that attitude was way too cheery for my liking. I toned it down a notch. Just because I was in love didn't mean I had to turn into one of those girls that worried about matching her nail polish to her outfit and wrote in her diary with a fluffy pink pen.

"Hi, baby,"

That deep voice threw all previous thoughts out the door.

"Hi."

"Where are you?" The sexual and pure male note to Dimitri's tone had me gulping and holding the base of my throat.

"Basement. In the game room."

"Go to our bedroom, will you for me?"

Without another rational thought, I zoomed up the stairs, to the place he wanted me to be and closed the door. "I'm here," I said breathlessly, and it had nothing to do with all the running I'd done.

"Get in our bed. Tell me how comfortable and warm it is."

"No."

"No?"

"I want to take a bath,"

There was a growl on the other line. "God, I love you."

Smiling, I went to the tub and cranked the water on hot. As the porcelain filled, I pinched the phone between my ear and shoulder, then poured a generous amount of lavender bubble bath under the stream, added a few drops of unusual oils, and sprinkled sea salt over the top.

"Are you naked yet?" Dimitri demanded.

Breathing in the wonderful aromas filling the air and laughing in a short burst, I said, "Impatient, are we?"

"Very. So take off your clothes."

"Hmmm…I'm not sure I want to do that,"

"Roza," My boyfriend groaned, the sound painful and pleading. "I'm dying over here. Need some relief. Please."

"Depends where you are."

"At the hotel. In bed. Naked."

Now I was the one growling.

"Tell me what you're doing," his voice was all sex, smoothing over my skin like a caress. "Describe to me. Paint a beautiful picture in my head."

"I'm getting undressed."

"More detail."

"Fine," I said. "I'm pulling the jeans off my legs."

"Mmmm."

"Don't make that sound,"

"Why?"

"Because it turns me on too much," I swallowed hard. "By the way, how's Sydney?"

"Beautiful. But I'd rather be at home with you."

"Did you throw any shrimp on the barbie? Have you heard anyone use the word _crikey?_ Or better yet, you see any kangaroos?"

Though I didn't see it, I could have sworn he rolled his eyes. "You and your stereotypes."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're still convinced I'm an ex KGB spy and my diet consists only of black bread and Borsch."

"Exactly. That's why I sleep with one eye open." I coughed. "And the other part is not true. I know you eat more than just..._food._"

The hiss that came over the other line had me boneless and wobbling at the knees. Careful not to slip and crack my head against the floor like an idiot, I pressed the SPEAKER button on the phone, set it on the black granite sink, and slipped into the bathtub.

"That was a spectacular sound," Dimitri murmured. "I could hear the water splashing and covering your body."

"No offense," I teased, smiling, "but you're kind of a perv."

"Why would I take that offensively?"

"I miss you."

"I miss you, too. So much…"

Absorbing the soothing sound of his voice, I rested my eyes and indulged in the hot, soapy water. The kinks in my back eased, the pounding headache vanished, and my sore feet were in heaven.

"I am so in love with you." Dimitri breathed.

"I know…I totally know." I murmured, twisting a lock of hair around one finger. "I'm pretty head over heels for you, too."

"Mmmm. You with your heels over your head…naked….screaming my name? Thanks for that visual."

I grinned. "Before we start getting all down and dirty, virtually speaking, I have to ask one question."

"Hmmm?"

"Ivan's not in bed with you, is he?"

Dimitri gave a throaty chuckle. "No. He's not. He's got his own room. Down the hall."

"Good."

"Now, where were we—" My words were cut off with a scream. "Sweet Jesus, Roza! You scared the crap out of me!"

The dog barked as my boyfriend exhaled tightly.

"How did you get in here?" I asked.

Darius sauntered in, lids squeezed shut. "Hey, _senorita._ Sorry to intrude—"

Dimitri boomed something in Italian.

"Boss? That you? I thought you were in Austral—Oh." The financial advisor's facial expression changed from confusion to realization. "He's on the phone, isn't it?"

As I scrambled to cover up myself as best I could with my limbs and water sloshed on the ivory marble, Darius yanked a towel from the wrack and covered his face with it. "My eyes are closed! My eyes are closed! I swear, boss!"

"Get the fuck out. My wife is naked."

Darius' lips lifted in a grin, and he turned around, putting his back towards me. Obviously wanting to fuck with his buddy, he said, "Oh, man. You look beautiful in this light, Rosa. Your skin is glowing, such a perfect golden-brown color. Your cheeks are flushed and you smell delightful, like jasmine and lavender and sea salt. And those dark eyes? Stop looking at me like that…before I tear off my clothes and dive in there with you. Make some room, darling!"

By the time Darius was done talking, I had to cover my mouth to muffle the giggles.

"You're a lucky son of a bitch. You know that." Dimitri's voice was tight with annoyance, but there was also a smile to it. "So help me God, if I was there…yeah, I'm going to spare the details because my wife is in the room."

"You're making that _end_ button on the phonelook very tempting, boss."

"Get out."

"All right, all right. Jeeze. I swear, I'm going to pack up my bags and leave one of these days."

"Don't let the door smack you in the ass on the way out,"

"What she said." Dimitri murmured on the other line.

"I hate you guys." Darius stormed out, the husky trotting along at his feet.

"_Now_, where were we—"

"I'm _back!_" Darius boomed.

I groaned.

Lifting my eyes, I watched as he set a vase full of multi-colored flowers and some kind of black velvet jewelry box right by the tub. He was cautious to keep his eyes closed.

The two had a conversation in Italian and Darius left silently.

"The flowers are beautiful. But what is this?" Picking up the velvet box and squinting, I ran my dripping fingers down the softness.

"Just wanted you to have something…to remind you of me…while I was gone. Open it."

I did, and my breath caught. "It's gorgeous."

"And I'll bet it will look even more spectacular on you. Don't worry, it's made out of Swarovski crystals, so don't chew my head off about the price. I know you're not a big fan of diamonds."

_Unless they're on an engagement ring. _"Wow…just wow. That's all I can say."

I was positive he was smiling right now.

The bracelet was silver, the chain thick and the weight heavy. A thousand gems covered the surface, sparkling brilliantly in the light. Four chunky rubies brought everything together, making the piece of jewelry—if possible—more magnificent.

As I clasped it around my left wrist, I said, "I wish you were here with me…instead of a billion miles away."

"Me too, Roza. Me too. I'd kill to hold you in my arms right now."

Suddenly, I laughed as a memory popped into my brain. "Hey, do you remember that one time I was mad at you on Valentines? When we first started dating?"

"Yes, of course I do. How could I forget you throwing flowers and chocolates in my face and storming off?"

"And then, after school, I went into my locker and found everything there. With a teddy bear and a note saying I'm sorry."

"We made love for the very first time that night, too."

The sigh that came out of my mouth was way too feminine for my liking, so I decided to switch to a less girly part of memory lane. "Hey, what about that time I went to your house and met your family for the first time…"

"Where you got fully intoxicated,"

"And threw up all over Yeva's lap," I reminisced. "I think that was when she first started hating me."

Dimitri chuckled. "But she grew to love you. Very much."

"Yeah, she did. Didn't she." For some reason, I was so proud of that fact.

"Do you remember when I sent you that explicit text message in Russian?"

The image of Uncle Victor's shocked face came to mind, and had me shooting forward, roaring with laughter. Blushing, I whispered, "Yes, I believe I do."

"I expected you to go on the internet and translate it, after all, it was a _private _message meant for you and _you_ only."

"But Victor's fluent in Russian,"

"So you asked him to read it out loud for you."

"My God, that was the most embarrassing moment of my life. Thank you for that."

"You're very welcome."

We were quiet for a couple of minutes, just listening to one another breath, when I decided it was time to tell him about the strange package that had arrived on the mansion's steps without an address or name. As I told him about the message inside and expressed my concern, he was deadly silent. Then, when I was finished with the tale, all he said was, "I'll deal with it. Don't be bothered."

It took a while before I could relax and do what he said, in spite of the fact that my spine was tingling with instinct. Something bad was going to happen. That was my gut feeling. And it was never off.

Pushing all of those problems aside, I took a deep breath and worked on slowing my heart down to a healthy rate.

"Dimitri, I have something to tell you."

"Go ahead, my Love."

"I'm pregnant."


	16. Chapter 16: An Angel

**A/N:** Rose and Dimitri are not married! Not even engaged! Dimitri just calls Rose his wife, because he considers her to be his, even though he hasn't asked her to marry him yet.

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters to belong to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

><p>"I know, Roza." Dimitri said.<p>

The huge smile vanished from my face and my brows crashed down. "What do you mean you already know?"

He was silent for a couple of moments, probably thinking of ways to tell me without pissing me the hell off.

Too late for that.

"Goddamn it, Dimitri! Tell me right now or so help me God..."

"You didn't have to tell me for me to know, baby. Please don't get upset." he paused. "You think I don't hear you getting up every morning? Around six-thirty to seven AM, you fall out of bed, stumble to the bathroom, slam the door closed with your foot, and get sick. No offense Roza, but you're not so quiet about it. Your heaves are loud enough to wake a hibernating bear."

I laughed, suddenly not feeling angry anymore. "Why didn't you come in there and hold my hair? Ask me if I was okay? Needed some water? Or better yet, why didn't you call me out on it?"

"Because I wanted you to tell me yourself. I didn't want to force it out of you. Make you feel terrible for not telling me. So I waited patiently, and he we are."

"Buggers. Way to ruin the surprise, you douche!"

There was a stretch of silence and I knew Dimitri was grinning from ear to ear. "Have I told you how wonderful your breasts look, sweetheart? Beautiful. So swollen. When I hold them now, they overflow my hands. And I just love that. Your nipples are wonderful too. Dark red and perfect for my mouth. And as for your bottom? So plump and soft. I want to squeeze-"

I groaned loudly as the rush between my legs ached and throbbed. I rubbed my thighs together. "Stop trying to change the subject, Comrade! It's no going to work-aghh!" My words were cut off as my body came apart in an earth-shattering release.

Moments later, after my heartbeat slowed down to a healthy rate and I caught my breath, my head dropped back against the porcelain and I rested my eyes. "My God...hey don't do that!"

"Do what? I'm only listening to you, Roza."

"Your silence is filled with smug satisfaction and male pride. I can feel it even though we're on different continents! Stop it. I don't like it."

"Yes, you do." Dimitri's tone was all smiles. "And as for feeling satisfaction and pride? Of course I do. My wife is on the other side of the globe and I brought her such intense pleasure-

"Try torture. I wish you were here with me."

"Have I told you how beautiful you sound when you come? It's spectacular." His voice was a low growl. That combined with his thick Russian accent and the way he rolled his R's...

_ENOUGH!_ I mentally screamed.

"You have to stop using terms like that. It's dangerous."

"How so?"

"Because I'm pregnant and hormonal and horny as hell right now. You keep talking dirty, and I might just have to go find a stud that'll have sex with me while my husband is away on a business trip. Darius seems like he would volunteer for the job."

There was a hiss on the other line. "I love the way you say "my husband" when referring to me. It sounds amazing on your tongue. And as for Darius? He would cut off his own dick with a brush cutter before he touched you."

I gulped. "He...he thinks I'm _that_ ugly?" Gee, what an asshole. I knew I was teasing earlier when I'd said I would sleep with him, but still, rejection stung like a bitch. Man, he would rather chop off his privates than get anywhere near me?

"He made his attraction for you clear when you first came to the mansion, Roza. That isn't the problem here. I've talked with him before we were together. Laid down the rules when it comes to you. Darius isn't stupid. He wouldn't come anywhere near you, sexually speaking. So there are no worries for me." Dimitri chuckled.

I scoffed. "Whatever. I may just go find one of your staff workers..." I said. "Hey, what's that cuties name? _Juan?_ Early twenties. Tattoos. Real bad boy vibe. He works down in the kitchen with Pavel and Tasha right? Oh. I think I want me some Latino lovin'."

"My workers are all gone by seven."

"Oh, right." Picking up the shaver, I ran the blade along my legs and thighs. "Well damn. Looks like I'm SOL."

"Want to know where my hand is?" Dimitri's voice was smooth, gliding over my skin like a caress.

Without warning, I remembered him telling me he was naked in bed. I could picture with aching clarity my boyfriend in all his bare glory.

"Tell me." My voice didn't sound like my own. It was husky and full of demands.

"Between my thighs. Wrapped around my-"

"Shit!" I hissed as the shaver nicked my skin. "Damn razor!"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I splashed water to wash off the blood, wincing when the sea salt seeped into the wound. "It just stings, that's all."

"Get out of the bath," Dimitri demanded. "Dry off and put a band-aid on it to stop the bleeding."

"Relax," Chuckling, I stepped out of the porcelain and walked carefully over to the towel wrack. "It's not like I lost a limb or something. It's just a little cut."

"Doesn't matter," he said. "I want you taken care of while I'm gone. Now do as I said and grab the package of band-aids in the medicine cabinet."

"Not until you ask nicely."

"Roza..." he warned.

"I'm waiting..."

"Will you please do as I say? I'm worried about you."

"Good. That's better."

Once I'd smacked a band-aid over the small razor knick and climbed into bed naked, which was Dimitri's request, I clapped my hands together, snapping off all the lights. With the room dark and being wrapped up in the soft covers, it was..."It almost feels like you're here."

"Are you warm?"

"Yes." I shook my head and smiled. "Stop worrying about me."

"Never."

I wrapped my fingers around the cell phone and curled my self into a ball, bringing my knees up. Then a thought occurred to me. "Wait. If you knew I was pregnant, why were you letting me train and fight with you?"

"Why were you letting yourself fight?"

"Not important. Don't try to twist this around."

"Okay, I was hoping my wife would stop being so stupid and wake up and realize how dangerous it is to spar while she's pregnant."

I hissed, ready to release a parade of arguments.

"Do you honestly think I'd let you get hurt?" Dimitri asked. His tone was so full of confidence, like he had power and control over the whole world.

"Accidents happen." I reasoned. It was the best I had.

"Not when it comes to you, they don't. I would never let anything happen to you."

There was a long stretch of silence, where all I could hear was his soft breathing. It was soothing, like a lullaby, and I felt myself being eased into slumber.

"How does it feel to be a father?" I mumbled.

"Overwhelming," he whispered. More quiet. "I'm the happiest man on earth."

I smiled, truly feeling blessed for the first time in my life.

"I hope we have a girl that looks just like you." he said.

Clutching a pillow, I squeezed it and pretended it was him. "When you get home, the first thing I want you to do is touch and kiss my stomach. I've wanted for you to do that for so long. It was practically all I could think about as I built up the courage to tell you I was pregnant."

"I do, Roza." Dimitri's voice was so deep. "Every night, I wait until you fall asleep...then I climb down your body, pull up your shirt, rub your belly, and talk to our child."

That was the last thing I heard before I fell in to the dark arms of oblivion. And when I woke up the next morning, the cell phone was blaring hot and it showed I had been on it for over eleven hours. Dimitri had never hung up on me, even when he knew I'd fallen asleep. I smiled and rubbed my slightly swollen stomach. In a way, Dimitri had been with me all night, sleeping beside me though he wasn't here in person.

I opened the door.

"Well don't you look refreshed," Darius said. "You need a pair of batteries for your vibrator? Poor machine. It's probably been working hard all night."

"Shut up." I grinned, punched him on the shoulder, and headed down the Victorian grand staircase.

"You know what, _senorita. _I have this great body massager. It has five speeds. Heat. And deep, penetrating action. You can't have mine, but the next time I go to Target, I can buy one for you. Only nineteen-ninety-ninety. It plugs into the wall so you don't have to go through batteries like a chain-smoker goes through cigarettes-"

"I don't need a damn massager. I have Dimitri. He brings me more pleasure than I'll ever need." I rubbed my temples. "What do you want? Why are you bothering me?"

"First of all, gross. I don't need to know what my boss does between the sheets. And second, I'm taking you to the doctors."

"Why?"

He cocked a black brow, electric-blue eyes amused. "Oh, come on. Don't even try to play anymore. The whole mansion knows Dimitri knocked you up."

"Shut up!" I hissed, reaching forward and twisting his nipples.

"Ouch! What the hell?"

"Who did you tell?" I demanded, twisting and pinching even harder. "Tell me!"

"Everyone. The workers are setting up a celebration for when boss gets back. Gee. Way to ruin the surprise."

"Damn you." I released him.

Darius rubbed his sore chest. "I don't know what the big deal is. Having a child is something to be proud of-"

"Because news in Dimitri's world spreads like wildfire! It's only a matter of time before the Belikov's find out. Oh, God. Yeva is going to murder me and then dance on my grave."

"Don't worry about breaking word to the family," he said. "Dimitri and I already did it this morning while you were asleep."

"What?" My hand sailed and connected with his cheek. "What the fuck? You told them! I'm going to stop your heart!"

A look of panic crossed Darius's face, and then he was off, heading across the mansion at a dead run. "It was boss's idea! I swear!" The kitchen doors slammed open as he went through them.

"You are such a fricking liar!" On my homicidal pursuit, I spotted a tray of blue and pink cupcakes - no doubt for the celebration - and picked up as many as I could, dropping some as I sprinted after Darius. Pulling my arm back, I aimed and chucked one treat as hard as I possibly could. Bingo. It pegged him in the back of the head.

"How dare you!" His leather boots pounded against the floor as we navigated through the cinema. "I used my new shampoo that my mamma sent me today!"

"I ought to rip your throat out." I threw another cupcake.

Darius ducked just in time, and unfortunately, the thing hit the gigantic projector screen in the front. The pink icing drew a line as the cupcake slid down.

"See," he cocked his head to the side. "Your children are going to be just as violent as you are if you don't learn to control your terrible temper."

Like some kind of animal, I jumped over two rows of seats and tackled Darius to the floor. Raising my fist, I prepared to strike-

"Wait!" he held up his hands, as if pleading to a madman for his life. "If it makes you any less crazy, Babushka was happy to hear that you are pregnant. She said it was about time you two settled down."

I lowered my arm. "Really?"

"Yes," he panted, catching his breath.

"Wasn't Yeva angry, though?"

"Only at Dimitri for not wedding you already."

I smiled a little, which turned into a grin that spread from ear to ear. Then I broke out in a fit of laughter.

Darius joined me once I climbed off his chest and flopped down beside him.

"Wow," I said. "She's really cool. Oh, and I'm sorry about going all crazy on you."

"It's all good, baby girl." he said. "By the way, congratulations on your baby. Or as I will call him or her, Little_ Senor and _Tiny_ Senorita_."

I laughed. "Thanks."

"All right," Darius gracefully hopped to his feet. "Let's go."

"Go where?" I asked as he grabbed my hand and hauled me up.

"Doctors. Dimitri scheduled you an appointment."

I flinched as the cool blue gel made contact with the skin of my belly.

"Okay. Let's see if we can find that heartbeat." Dr. Johnson murmured, staring at the black screen from behind rimless glasses. For being in her early sixties, she looked strangely young. Sometime years of experience and a butt load of knowledge did that to you, though. The doctor was dressed in the standard white coat. Her salt and pepper hair was pinned up in an elegant bun, her gray eyes were sharp as a blade, and her thin lips were shaped in a matter that told you she took absolutely no nonsense.

I liked her.

After moving the wand around and searching for five more minutes, she sighed and started to clean up the mess on my stomach. "No luck."

A surge of panic struck me, so powerful that it pushed the air from my lungs. "Oh, God. The baby is dead...?"

"Oh, no, honey. No. No. No. No." she chuckled, pulling my hospital gown in place. "You're so early on in the pregnancy; it's not unusual for doctors to be unable to find a heartbeat."

"Oh, whew." I put a hand over my heaving chest. "You scared the hell out of me! How far along am I again? I forgot." Part of me was relieved that she hadn't found it. I wanted Dimitri to be here when we heard our child on the ultrasound.

Dr. Johnson's smile was heartbreakingly kind. "Thirteen weeks."

"And that's...?" My forehead creased as I counted in my head.

"A little over three months."

"Right. Yeah. Sorry. Math was never my strongest subject."

"Mine either. I hate numbers."

After my blood pressure and heart rate were taken, along with a few blood tests and filing some boring paperwork, the baby and I were deemed healthy and Darius and I were off.

"Why are you smiling like that? It's kind of freaking me out." Darius glanced over at me, one arm hanging on the steering wheel as we maneuvered through the Montana forest, heading for the mansion.

"I can't wait to tell Dimitri all about the appointment!" My voice came out in an excited burst, causing him to jump and laugh.

As expected, Dimitri was ecstatic about the news. So happy in fact, that he was working extra hard to move the meeting up a day early so he could hop on the jet and be home in the morning.

I was practically flying and bouncing all over the mansion, light as a butterfly from the overwhelming joy that was inside me. Opening the kitchen's doors, I found Tasha hovering over a silver tray packed with food.

"There you are!" she smiled, placing a piece of cilantro on the massive cheese omelet I'd asked her to make me.

I inhaled deeply. "You are a saint."

Tasha rose to her full height and smoothed out her chef uniform. "Tell me something I don't know," she winked. "Actually, I only chopped the vegetables and stirred the eggs. Pavel did everything else. Don't tell him I told you though...he's letting me take full credit for all this deliciousness."

"Your secret is safe with me, girl." I pretended to zip my lips shut, then reached forward and grabbed the tray, and all but danced out of the kitchen.

I raised my arm and knocked on Victor's door.

He didn't answer.

Shrugging and not thinking much of it, I palmed the handle and walked in—

I screamed and dropped the silver stray. Food bounced, drinks spilled, glass shattered.

But I didn't notice any of it. It was as if the whole world was a blur and everything around me went in slow motion until all I could hear was the pounding of my heartbeat in my ears.

Uncle Victor was lying on the floor by his bed, obviously having fallen. Besides his mouth, was a pool of liquid. His vomit.

"Oh, God." I ran to him and like the idiot I was, tried to pull him off the floor.

"No!" he hollered in pain. "My hip...is is...broken."

Tears spilled out of my eyes and I fell back, clutching my mouth as a gasp escaped me. "It's okay." I ran for the phone. "The ambulance-"

He shook his head. "No." It looked as if it was painful for him to speak, like it took too much energy out of him. "This is my time to go dear. Let me die in peace. Without medical attention."

A raw sob bubbled in my throat as I ran over to him. He had broken his hip, so I was unable to move his body, but I gently took his sagging head in my palms and rested his cheek against my thighs, trying to provide him with what little comfort I could. I wasn't going to let him die alone no matter what he said. I wanted to make sure he knew how loved he really was. Stroking his fuzzy white hair, I croaked, "Uncle V?"

"Yes, my darling?"

"I-I-I...I just wanted to let you know-" My voice cracked. "You're a...you're a grandpa."

The peaceful smile that lit his tired face made everything okay. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes."

"You and Dimitri are going to make wonderful parents."

I squeezed my lids shut and continued to run my fingers through his hair. "Thank you, uncle."

"You make me so proud," That smile remained. "If it wasn't for you darling, I would have never experienced this amount of joy and happiness. And you better believe that I adore this child you're carrying. I'm going to continue loving my grandchildren even after I no longer exist on this earth."

"And they will love you just as much."

His breathing became shallow and his sea-green eyes went glassy. "Angel...you're an angel."

Victor made a little gasping noise, then sighed in content, and died in my arms minutes later.


	17. Chapter 17: Right Here

**RPOV:**

I set the red rose on Victor's grave. "Hey, Uncle V. I miss you." I brushed my fingers over the cursive words _Beloved Uncle _briefly before getting to my feet.

I looked back at Dimitri, who was dressed in a black suit for the memorial service. Tears spilled down my cheeks as he walked up to me. His brown eyes were full of sorrow and understanding. He knew exactly how it was to lose someone you loved dearly.

My fiancé didn't say anything, and for that I was grateful. If I heard one more "I'm sorry" or "Victor was a great man. It's such a shame", I was going to punch anyone and everyone in my path.

"Thank you," I whispered as he wrapped his arms around me and drew me into his chest. "For being here. For me. When I need you most."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else."

"Everything's okay now." I wasn't sure what was coming out of my mouth, it just all seemed to tumble out. "I've come to terms with my uncle's death, I mean it's sad, but I'm okay with it in a way. I've accepted it."

His arms tightened around me.

"In a really strange way, I almost feel better that he's in heaven now. I know that he's no longer suffering from his illness and he doesn't have to go through anymore painful Chemotherapy sessions." My voice cracked and I squeezed my eyes shut, hugging Dimitri with everything in me. "Uncle Victor is no longer in pain; he's in a better place now."

* * *

><p><em>Ding dong.<em>

Flipping a page of Elle magazine, I groaned and hollered, "Is anybody going to get that?"

There were a few minutes of silence, then another ring of the doorbell.

Cursing, I grasped my beach-ball belly, braced myself, and rocked to my feet. I could hear from all the way downstairs the booming male voices, laughter, and rap music spilling from the games room.

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head, smiled, and slowly made my way down the grand staircase.

_Ding dong._

"Coming! Jesus!" I yelled. "Be patient!"

Gripping the gold handle, I ripped the door open and glared at the man standing there. He had to be in his mid-fifties with a really flashy style and ridiculously thick, shiny hair.

"What do you want?" I snapped with a good dose of attitude. "I'm supposed to be on bed rest."

The man smiled dangerously. A chill ran up my spine. "May I speak with Dimitri Belikov?" he asked in a heavy accent.

"Nope." Frankly, I didn't feel like making the effort to get him. It was hard enough already for me to stand. My breathing grew heavy and sweat bloomed on my forehead. "Come back some other time."

I started to shut the door.

The mans foot shot out and stopped it from closing all the way.

Annoyed and somewhat alarmed, I asked, "What's your problem, buddy?"

"This is important. I need to speak with him."

"Too frickin' bad—"

"I'm the one who sent the note."

_I KNOW WHAT YOU DID._

_FOUND HIM FLOATING NEAR THE EDGES OF THE RIVER._

_YOUR PLAN DIDN'T WORK AS WELL AS YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD, DID IT._

_IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO HAVE THAT SECRET EXPOSED TO THE PUBLIC._

—_I'M SURE YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD GODDAMN IDEA._

The note from nearly seven months ago flashed before my eyes, as clear as day.

Without warning, I growled and launched myself at the man, taking him down on the stone path outside. In a startling rage, I pounded my fists against his head, one after another, non-stop.

How dare he. All I knew was that he'd threatened my family, and I needed to protect Dimitri and our child growing inside me.

Suddenly, I was pulled off of the man and hauled back. Still seeing red, I fought to get out of the nearly immobilizing grip and get back to that man so I could get my hands on that bastard once again.

"Rose!" Dimitri swore in Russian. Sliding his arms under mine, he crossed them over my chest and squeezed until it was extremely difficult to draw any oxygen into my lungs. "Relax, baby, and I'll let you go."

Absorbing the sound of his deep voice, I closed my eyes briefly and nodded. "Okay."

He hesitated, but released his death grip and draped an arm around my waist just in case I tried to pull any fast moves.

"He's the man who sent that note!" I exclaimed.

I felt Dimitri go rigid immediately. He quickly recovered, barked Darius and Ivan's name, and let me go completely. Then he charged the bleeding man, grabbed the lapels of his coat, and hauled him off the ground effortlessly.

Thinking back to the letter, I now realized that Dimitri had known who had sent it all along. Maybe not the face, but he definitely knew who the flashy man was.

In unison, Ivan and Darius mowed out the mansion and down the steps towards us. While Darius took Dimitri's orders and hauled the man inside, Ivan came to me with heartbreakingly concerned eyes. "Are you hurt?" he asked, gently putting his hand on the small of my back.

"No," I shook my head and took a deep breath. "I just need to sit down for a minute."

Ivan helped me to get inside. He lowered me carefully down on the first couch in sight.

"Are you thirsty? Hungry?" he asked, kneeling down.

"Actually," My swollen stomach rumbled and he chuckled. "Could you get me something sweet? I'm feeling a bit dizzy."

With a nod and a reassuring pat to my knee, Ivan was off, heading for the kitchen at a jog.

My blood turned to ice when I heard shouts and hollers from the other room, followed by a loud thud and a groan of pain. Blessedly, the sound didn't belong to Dimitri or Darius. For the smallest of seconds, I felt pity towards the flashy man. Whatever they were doing in there wasn't exactly a tea party. The man was about to go through hell, also known as Dimitri's interrogation.

The feeling of sympathy soon vanished as I reminded myself that he'd threatened my partner and our child's life.

I heard boots pounding against the ivory marble as loud as thunder, and my head snapped up.

Dimitri stalked over to me, face blazing with anger. Oh, no. Man, I really hated pissing off that Russian.

"Are you that stupid?" he demanded in a voice low and deep like a church-bell.

"Excuse me?" My anger spiked again, like someone had thrown gasoline all over it and struck a match.

"You attacked that man," he jabbed a finger towards where he'd come from. "While you are pregnant."

"He's the one who sent the note, you frickin' idiot!"

"Why are you fighting while you are carrying our child?" Dimitri got all up in my face, but I didn't back down. "You should have just stayed back!"

"I'm pregnant, not handicapped!"

"Your foolishness and lack of common sense floors me sometimes!"

"Get the fuck away from me, Dimitri. Right now." I fell back on the couch and put shaking hands to my belly. "I _so_ do not need this right now."

He gritted his teeth, muttered something in his native Siberian tongue, and marched off.

Ivan came back a few minutes after that, carrying a plate full of pepperoni pizza and frosted brownies. In his other hand, he had a big glass of milk.

"Here," he set the food down on the coffee table. "You should eat. You look pale and rattled."

"If only you knew," I murmured, diving into the goodness. "Thanks."

Ivan nodded.

"You need to go," That voice belonged to Dimitri. "Upstairs. Now."

"And you need to go before I punch you in the face," I said.

"Rose. I'm being serious."

Squaring my shoulders, kicking my chin up, and meeting his eyes, I shook my head and unwaveringly said, "No. I'm staying right here."

A long stretch of tense and fury filled silence spilled between us. "Fine. You want to see this? Then go ahead." he said tightly. "Just stay out of my way."

The doors burst open. Darius was dragging a chair into the room. In that chair was the flashy man. Ropes were tied around his ankles, waist, and his hands, which were locked behind the chair.

I swallowed the brownie with a gulp. Fear twisted in my stomach, but I refused to be a coward and leave the room. I had something to prove to Dimitri, I guess.

At first, the interrogation wasn't so bad. There were just a lot of questions and demands and shouts. But then Dimitri would slap the man when he refused to talk and I'd wince. Those slaps soon escalated to full on punches. And those blows became more frequent until the flashy man was a bloody mess and I was constantly cringing.

There was something animalistic and raw about Dimitri in these moments that I really didn't like to see. It made me nauseous having to watch it.

"So, you're the one who hired Nathan to shoot my wife, aren't you." Dimitri growled.

The man bound to the chair smiled around all the crimson liquid spilling out of his mouth.

Dimitri's eyes flashed as he rolled up the sleeves of his white button-up shirt. "You need to start talking. I'm loosing my patience here. And I don't really feel like playing nice anymore, Abe."

Something clicked in my head and I gasped.

All of them looked over at me.

"What?" Dimitri asked. "Is something wrong with the baby?"

I ignored him as I looked straight at the man. "What is your last name?"

"Mazur." Ivan answered for him since the man seemed unwilling.

There was a buzzing in my ears and my heart beat like a drum in my chest. I climbed to my feet and came towards him.

"My name is Rose Hathaway." The mans eyes flared and I was positive he knew exactly who I was. "I'm your daughter. The one that you walked out on almost twenty-five years ago."

* * *

><p>Abe stared at me for the longest time, his brown eyes full of shock and…wonder.<p>

"I've been searching for you since you were a little girl," he murmured with awe. "My daughter."

"Why did you walk out on my mother when I was just a baby then?" I demanded, literally shoving Dimitri and Darius out of the way so I could get right in front of my father.

"Janine forced me to. I swear." Abe said.

For some absurd reason, I believed him. Maybe I was biased. Maybe it was because he was the only living blood relative I had. It didn't matter.

I looked right at Dimitri. "Release him." I said, feeling protective over my father.

"You cannot be serious," said my boyfriend. "He's the man who hired a man to shoot you. You realize that, right. He's the man who wants me dead. The source of all our problems this past year and a half."

"I said release him." I narrowed my eyes. "He's my father, Dimitri."

My boyfriend merely stared at me, eyebrow cocked.

After threatening to leave the mansion and dragging my father out with me, Dimitri _very _reluctantly pulled a folding knife out of his pocket and sawed at all the ropes until Abe was free.

My father slowly and painfully stood up, and immediately, I wanted to fire out a million questions about my mother and the details of why he walked out on us when I was an infant. That had to wait until later however, because he looked like he needed a first aid kit pronto.

"Here, let me get you some water," Hooking Abe's arm over my shoulder, we awkwardly waddled into the kitchen like a pair of drunken penguins.

On the inside I was positively beaming and absolutely screaming with excitement. I'd just met my father for the first time! All my life, I'd believed him to be dead because that had made it easier to deal with my whole situation. But now with my mother and uncle Victor gone, and Abe being my only living blood relative, I was desperately grabbing onto what I had because it was all that was left.

Without turning around, I sensed the trio in the kitchen. Their tense and angry energy burned my skin. I couldn't imagine how Abe felt, considering all three of the men's hatred and distrust was directed towards my father.

"Get out." I gritted my teeth. "I want to talk with him. Alone."

They didn't move an inch.

Helping Abe lean his battered weight against the granite counter, I spun around, absolutely furious and protective of the man behind me. No one—_absolutely no one_—was going to hurt him. Or if I could help it, no one was even going to cast him a dirty look.

"Get out!" I jabbed my finger at Dimitri. "Now! I need privacy with my father."

"You're thinking irrationally,"

"And I think you're getting me really upset when I shouldn't be—ow!" I bent over and clutched my stomach.

My boyfriend was over in a flash.

"It's okay," I panted, squeezing my eyes shut briefly. "Just a contraction. It's passed. Now, will you please let me and Abe talk?"

Dimitri stared at me for the longest time, then leisurely, he nodded and bent down to brush his lips over mine. "Okay."

Darius and Ivan followed Dimitri out of the kitchen with glares over their massive shoulders, and a very mature slitting the throat gesture towards Abe from Darius. "If anything happens to my sister…" he said in an ominous voice. The doors clapped shut behind them.

"I know you're right outside of the doors, Dimitri!"

"This is as far as we're going," he said. "No exceptions. I don't care how much you hate me for it."

* * *

><p>"Really? So she kicked you out? Just like that?"<p>

Abe nodded as he took a sip from his ice water. "I loved your mother very much, but around the time she gave birth to you, she started to change. Drastically. It startled me. Janine wasn't the same woman I met and fell in love with in high-school. She was just...I don't know, a stranger."

"Why do you think she made you leave?" I asked, dabbing at the gash on his eyebrow with a cotton ball drowned in rubbing alcohol.

Abe hissed but otherwise remained still. "The drugs. I knew it was the drugs. It's astonishing what they can do to people. Heroin is evil, and that's what your mother messed with. Everything was different after she took her first hit."

"She was too far gone." I murmured more to myself than him. "Even if I'd found her while she was alive, she couldn't have been saved."

"Good for you." Abe tapped my knee. "As sad as this may sound, most people don't move on from deaths of their loved ones. But I can see you have. That's good. I surely haven't forgotten about your mother."

I placed butterfly stitches over the laceration. "You still love Janine?"

My father made a sound in the back of his throat.

"Why?" Venom and hatred dripped from my voice, but I was far from caring. Janine could go to hell.

"She loved you, you know." Abe shrugged. "For the little time I was there to see it, I knew she loved you dearly. Don't be angry at her. Be angry at the drugs she used."

My eyebrows crashed down. That was an unusual way to think of it, but maybe he was right. Maybe it wasn't my mothers fault. Maybe it was her actions that I hated. Not her as a person. I didn't hate Janine. I loved her.

Maybe I could forgive her for abandoning me.

I found myself smiling. "Thank you."

"For what?"

I shrugged and started to toss everything back into the first aid kit. "For saying that. For some reason, that makes me feel a lot better."

My father ran a hand through his wicked cool hair and seemed at loss for words.

Meanwhile, I scrubbed my hands with hot water and soap. "Would you like more water? Your glass is empty."

Abe nodded. "I'd get it myself, but it's somewhat difficult for me to walk."

That burning anger towards Dimitri came back. "I'm so sorry about that. He should have never—"

"Please," Abe shook his head, held up a broad palm. "Don't apologize. I…uh, yeah…never mind."

Nodding, I grabbed the empty glass off the counter and headed for the freezer. After dropping four cubes in, I closed the stainless steel door and pressed the glass to the purified water dispenser and watched it fill—

The sound of a drawer being rattled and shut made me freeze. Dread filled my veins, but it was already too late. The blade pressed against my throat.

"Stay silent," Abe whispered.

A tear fell out of my eye, down my cheek, and dripped off my chin, landing on the floor beneath us. For fear of my unborn child's life, I did the smartest thing I had ever done. I listened.

My lips were pressed closely together, not making a sound.

"Good girl." My father said, kissing my cheek.

Damn, why had I been so stupid to tell Dimitri to release him? Now I'd just jeopardized everyone's life in the house. There would be time to worry about that later.

Traitor. That's what my father was: a traitor. During the hours we'd talked in the kitchen, it had all been an act. He didn't love me or my mother. He was only after one thing, and that had to be money, considering he was the man who wanted Dimitri six feet under.

Not if I could help it.

Tasha came out of the main kitchens doors, wiping some chocolate batter off her face. Dragging the paper towel off her skin, she headed for the trashcan, ready to toss the crumpled thing in the trash.

Abe's hold on me tightened as he pressed the knife harder against my skin until it drew blood.

Those ice-blue eyes snapped over to us, and Tasha's whole body went rigid.

With an awesome surge, she went for the bottle of red wine she'd spotted on the counter. Before I knew what had happened, she'd charged us and smashed the bottle against Abe's face. He howled in agony as it shattered into a million pieces and shards of glass stuck in his skin and crimson liquid splattered against the floor.

Internally, I was cheering Tasha on. Who knew the girl could kick ass.

The doors flew open with a roar and the three men mowed in, bodies ready for battle.

But Abe had already dropped the knife and made a run for it, going out the opposite doors and heading into vestibule.

"Go the other way!" Dimitri boomed, tearing off in pursuit of my father with a revolver drawn.

Darius and Ivan did the same, pulling out firearms and going the opposite direction of my boyfriend. All were in pursuit of my father, and I only hoped they'd find him fast.

A shot ringing out made Tasha and I scream and duck in unison. The bullet went through the window above us, barely missing my head.

"Are you out of your mind?" Tasha hollered at Abe's looming form. "What the hell is wrong with you!"

I was staring death in the face. That muzzle was pointed right at me. As the gun was cocked and his finger closed down on the trigger, I made peace with everything in my life and hoped that they would catch Abe before he killed anyone else. I was sorry to be leaving Dimitri behind on this earth alone and sad that he was going to be experiencing the great loss and pain of my death, but glad it was me rather than him. Maybe one day he could meet someone and be happy again. I could only hope.

The shout rang out and I braced my self for the final mortal blow.

But it never came.

Peeling my eyes open, I was met with a giant dark shadow. For a minute I wondered if it was the Grim Reaper, but then my brain kicked in and I looked up at the same time Dimitri fell to the ground in front of me.

I cried out when I spotted the bullet wound in his chest. "What did you do!" I yelled at Dimitri. "Why! Why! Why did you do this!"

"It's my job to protect you," Dimitri smiled sadly, but not regrettably. "I'll always protect you, Roza."

The love of my life had sacrificed his own life for my own, using his body as a shield. He'd taken a bullet for me.

I screamed in fury.

Abe was tackled to the ground and wrestled for the gun. He proved to be a struggle because Ivan and Darius grunted and couldn't seemed to get a hold of the weapon—

_Pop._

Numbly, I lifted my head as I heard the most excruciatingly filled roar come out of Darius's mouth.

In the middle of Ivan's forehead, between his graceful brows, was a perfect crimson kiss. Ivan gazed at his buddy with blank eyes, swayed, and dropped to the floor lifeless.

In a mindless rage, Darius was a monster, unstoppable. He ripped the gun out of Abe's grip, cracked it across his face, and hauled him up by the lapels of his coat, holding my father a good foot off the ground.

"Look what you did!" Darius's sinister voice made me cringe. "Look at him!"

Abe craned his neck and stared at the fallen man on the floor.

"He's the last thing you'll ever see!" Darius held the muzzle to Abe's temple.

"Look away, Rose." Dimitri said harshly.

With tears streaming down my face and vicious sobs racking throughout my body, I leaned down and stuffed my face in the crook of Dimitri's neck, breathing in his aftershave and natural spicy heavenly scent. It was the only normal and comforting thing in my world right now.

"I'll see you in hell, buddy." Darius pulled the trigger on my father.

I raised my head and refused to look as Darius dropped to his knees and held onto Ivan like his whole life depended on it. It was strange knowing a man like Darius, who was always so macho with his devil may care attitude, could breakdown like that. It didn't seem possible. But evidently, it was. He'd just lost his best friend.

A coughing noise brought my attention back to the man in my arms. Blood spilled out of Dimitri's mouth and down the sides of his cheeks.

"Oh, God," The look in those brown eyes would forever haunt me. He knew exactly what was going to happen. "No. No. No. No! You can't die on me, Dimitri! I need you! Somebody call 911!"

Tasha, pale as a ghost and shaking all over, crawled over to the phone and picked it up. A moment later, she told me, "The hospital is flying a helicopter out here, but it won't arrive for another forty-five minutes."

"That's not good enough!" I growled, applying more pressure on Dimitri's chest wound.

A tear leaked out of her glassy ice-blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Rose." she hung up. "It's the best they can do."

"You're so beautiful, Roza." Dimitri murmured sadly. As he lifted a hand and tried to reach my face, it looked as if the gesture was painful and drained all of the energy out of him, so I gently lowered his arm. "I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…"

"Don't talk like that!" I said desperately, shaking my head like a maniac. "It's only forty-two more minutes until the helicopter is here! You have to hold on—"

A gush of warm water between my thighs brought my words to a halt. _Did I pee?_

"Shit." Tasha's eyes bulged. "Your water just broke."


	18. Chapter 18: Holding on

**RPOV:**

I was able to give Dimitri one last kiss before the paramedics all but shoved me out of the helicopter and slammed the doors shut.

As the helicopter lifted from the ground with winds strong enough to sear my eyeballs, I gave a silent prayer to God to make him okay. Frankly, I didn't care what happened to me or our child, I only wanted the love of my life safe. I wasn't sure I could live without him.

Slowly and painfully, Dimitri managed to raise his head from the gurney and gaze at me for a small moment. _I love you so much, _he mouthed before dropping his head again. The paramedics were all over him, shoving needles into his skin like he was a pin cushion, pounding their fists against his chest, sticking tubes down his throat.

Tears slid out of my eyes. I would have done anything to take his pain away and make it my own. He was such a great man. He didn't deserve to be titter-tottering with life and death. "I love you, too." I said as the helicopter went far up into the sky and headed east, wishing that Dimitri could have heard me.

"All right, _senorita_." Darius's voice was rougher than sandpaper. He cleared his throat, but it didn't seem to help. It was still raw. "I have to get you to the hospital. Boss's orders."

"I don't think you're in the right condition to be driving."

He managed to crack a smile, but his brave front didn't fool me. "S'all good, baby girl. I'm fine. Now, let's go before…ugh, yeah, never mind. I don't have the mental or physical energy to even try to be funny. Sorry."

"I'll take her." Tasha walked up to us and grabbed my arm.

"Dimitri asked me to take her," Darius growled. "I'm taking her."

"Somebody is here to see you." Tasha said, nodding over his shoulder.

Darius turned around, seething, but once he saw the woman standing there, his face dropped. "Mia?"

"Time to go, lil' mamma." Tasha spanked my butt lightly. "I've already started the car."

Arm in arm, we jogged as fast as possible to the mansions garage.

**MPOV:**

Walking in the mansion, I immediately looked away when I reached the kitchen and spotted two lifeless bodies on the ground. Taking a deep breath, I turned my head back to all the death.

There was a man I didn't recognize. But that's not what made me nauseous. Ivan, Darius's best friend, was there, his long, lean body sprawled out on the ground. The crimson dripped from his forehead and pooled on the floor, where the blood contrasted sickeningly with the ivory color of the marble floor.

His blue eyes were wide open and blank, and seemed to stare right at me, as if he was crying out for help and his life back. "Oh, God." I crouched down and gently slid his lids closed. It was so much more peaceful that way.

"Don't touch that!" A cop barked, smacking my hand away with his own gloved one. There was a badge and camera around his neck. "This investigation is strictly police business—"

"She's with me." Tasha interrupted firmly. "Don't worry. We're leaving."

"Thank you for doing this," I said to her as we made our way outside. "I really need to see him."

"No problem." The stunning assistant chef said, nodding solemnly to Pavel as we passed by him. "I don't think you could have come at a better time."

Tasha opened the doors that led to the backyard and I froze briefly as I spotted Darius out on the field. My God. He looked so lost…and all I wanted to do was help. Unconsciously, my feet moved towards him as Tasha ran over to Rose and rushed her to the hospital.

The moment he turned around and I met those deep blue eyes, my heart shattered into a million pieces and I felt every ounce of pain he was feeling.

"Mia?" Darius's voice was like a frightened child's. He stared at me for the longest time, as if he wasn't sure I was real or not.

"Darius." my voice cracked. "It's me."

A tear slipped out of his eye and he quickly wiped it away, like he was embarrassed for his weakness. "What are you doing here?" he said roughly.

"I'm so sorry," I said, because it was the only thing I could. Unthinkingly, I ran up to him and grabbed his broad hands and cradled them in my own. Darius may have been six-foot-nine and weighed more than twice as much as I did, but in that moment, he was tiny. The one who needed protection. The one who needed comfort.

And I was the only person who could give it to him.

I gazed into those broken electric-blue eyes briefly before nodding slightly and wrapping my arms around Darius. He collapsed in my embrace, finally putting down his signature careless façade and breaking down.

**RPOV:**

"She's in labor!" Tasha screamed as the automatic doors to the hospital flew open. Embarrassingly, she captured everyone's attention nearby and they all looked over.

"Thanks." I muttered, briefly lowering my head.

"I can see that." The nurse behind the desk said, getting to her feet.

"Well, I'm glad that you're not blind. Now, can you actually do something about it?" Tasha snapped. I giggled. Who knew the girl actually cared for me. And after the wine bottle stunt she'd pulled with Abe, I was really starting to like her.

The nurse glared at Tasha. "I need a wheelchair. Someone bring a wheelchair!"

A passing male nurse ran to get one. I was grateful when he slid it on over and helped me in it. "Thank God. I don't think I could stand another minute."

On the third floor of the maternity ward, in a hospital bed and gown, I wasn't exactly the happiest camper.

"GET ME SOME DRUGGGGGGSSSSSSSS!" I roared, lurching forward and knocking everything over in my path, including a nurse and the heart machine.

"It's okay. Just relax." Tasha braced herself and bravely wrapped her arms around my convulsing body. "The contraction will past."

"No it won't! Goddamn it!" In a low, bone-chilling, ominous voice, I said, "I want to kill you."

I scratched and clawed and tugged and bit at Tasha until the wave of muscle agony was over and I fell back against the mattress, covered in sweat and panting like a dog.

"Don't get so comfy," my voice was exhausted. "The next one is going to be coming in about a minute…oh, God. I can feel it already."

Tasha resumed a horrified expression.

"She's in there! She's in there!" said a nurse outside in the hallway.

Lissa, Christian, and Adrian burst through the door, looking ready for a battle. Each had balloons and flowers and stuffed animals, in various colors of blues and pinks.

"Sorry. We chose to get both, 'It's a girl!' and 'It's a boy!' because you don't know the sex of your baby, and neither do we." Christian said.

"And if it happens to be twins…" Adrian held up a blue and a pink balloon. "Then you get both of these smashing gifts. Or, maybe if it's two girls or two boys…then you would get two pinks or two blues. Or maybe if they're triplets—"

"There's only one baby in there, dumbass." Christian said.

"Rose!" Lissa screamed, running up and giving me a hug.

"Get away." I growled, which momentarily stunned her.

"It's not you, Lissa." Tasha smiled kindly. "Just blame the contractions. They've kind of turned her into a monster."

Seething and positively murderous, I turned my neck to look at her. "_What did you say?_"

The color drained from Tasha's face.

Making some kind of demonic noises, I chucked the thing that was closest to me at her. She ducked just in time, and the object went flying across the room, gracefully hitting Christian on the head.

The object fell to the ground and he stared at it, eyes full of terror. "Oh, God. Is…is that a pee pan thingy?"

"Yep…" Tasha said.

Adrian leaned over and began to gag.

"…but don't worry, it hasn't been used yet." she finished with a wicked grin.

"Oh, thank heavens."

"Knock knock." A man with tortoise shell glasses, a red bow tie, and a geeky air brought our attention to the door. "Hi, my name is Dr. Gregg. I'm the anesthesiologist, and it would be just fabulous if I could get all of you to clear out for a moment while I give her an epidural."

"I LOVE YOU!" I screamed and opened my arms to give him a hug.

**MPOV:**

Darius pulled back from me and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "I'm sorry about that."

I didn't bother wiping my own tears as I shook my head and said, "No. Don't say that." I still couldn't believe it had been nearly nine months since the last time I had seen or spoken with him. He was still just as gorgeous as I had remembered.

He straightened and ran a hand through his jet-black cropped hair. Man, how I missed those long locks. "So, uh, what are you doing here?" he laughed awkwardly. "Aside from giving my weak ass a shoulder to cry on."

"Do you want to go sit down?" I tugged gently on his arm.

Darius stopped dead in his tracks and shook his head wildly, staring back at the mansions doors with disturbed eyes. In a slightly hysterical and borderline insane voice, he said, "No. Anywhere but there. Ivan is still there."

I touched his face. "Okay. You don't have to go back in the mansion." I glanced back at my silver Audi. "Would you…would you like to come back to my place for a bit? Maybe if you're tired, you can lie down and rest. I can make you something to drink and eat if you'd like too—"

"What about Aaron?" Darius said flatly. "Won't pretty boy be upset that a dashing, charming man like myself would be in your home with such a beautiful woman—"

"You think I'm beautiful?" I glanced down, feeling my cheeks heat.

He tilted my chin up with two fingers and met my eyes. "You're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

My heart soared, butterflies exploded in my stomach, and it felt like we were the only two people in the world. But then reality kicked back in, and I remembered our horrible situation…and Ivan. Darius was vulnerable right now; he'd just lost his best and closet friend. That was the only reason he'd said what he'd said to me. "I'll explain everything on the way. Let's go."

Darius reached out and grabbed my hand. As we walked to my car, I studied the difference in sizes. His hand was shockingly large, and mine was so incredibly tiny in his. He could have closed his fingers around my palm and crushed all of my bones effortlessly. But he didn't. He was so careful with me, like it was entirely natural for him to be. He might have been scary as hell at times, but in spite of his badass fighting techniques and tough exterior, he was a protector on the inside, just one big cuddly teddy bear. He was a man that when he loved…he _really_ loved. With his whole heart. With everything in him.

Darius was the complete opposite of Aaron.

And I was so in love with him.

**RPOV:**

"I love you all so much!" I smiled from ear to ear, filling a million times better since Dr. Gregg had left. The needle being poked in my back had hurt, but once the drugs had set in and my body no longer felt like it was on fire, I was floating on a cloud of relief and happiness.

"Yes, Rose." Adrian groaned tiredly. "We know that."

"You've only told us a dozen times already." Christian muttered.

"CHRISTIAN!" I boomed, which made him jump and fall off his chair.

He got up, rubbing his sore ribs. "What is it?"

"Come here." I crooked my finger. "Come here…yeah, that's it. Want to know something?"

Lissa's fiancé stared at me.

"I think you're…_AWESOME!_" I playfully poked his chest to the beat of Funky Town.

Christian's ice-blue eyes widened.

Tasha and Lissa chuckled.

Dr. L.J. walked into the room, snapping on a pair of blue gloves. "Hey, Rose. How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic!"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I thought so. All right…" Sitting down in his circle chair, he slid over, propped my legs up on the stretcher, and lifted my hospital gown. "Let's have a look-see."

"Oh, Jesus," Christian leaned over and rested his palms against his knees. "I think I'm going to be sick."

I giggled. He was so funny.

Tasha cocked an elegant brow. "How can you feel sick? You're all the way over there."

Christian continued to gag, and Lissa, rolling her eyes, strolled over and handed him the plastic garbage can just to be safe.

"Lightweight," she murmured.

I burst out laughing.

"Whoa, that's surprising." Dr. L.J. said urgently.

"What is it?" Tasha asked.

"Something wrong?" Lissa said with alarm.

"The cervix—" Christian gagged and the doctor eyebrows rose. "You're all the way dilated. I'd say it's time to start pushing."

As the whole room went in a blurry panic and nurses flew everywhere and doctors prepared me, my heart started to beat really fast. "No!"

Dr. L.J. barely spared me a glance. "Do you feel pressure—"

"I need Dimitri!" Panic exploded in my body. "This baby isn't coming out unless he's here!" I hadn't given the love of my life much thought since he'd been airlifted out of the mansion's grounds, because in a way, I was in shock and that was my way of dealing with things I could handle—block. By blocking them, I didn't have to deal with the pain and reality of this situation.

But this was different. Our baby was about to be born. I needed to stop being a coward. Dimitri was fighting for his life in the same hospital I was giving birth in. Funny, life and death weren't so different after all.

"He's in the trauma center, sweetie." said a plump nurse with kind eyes and red hair. "He's in surgery right now. I need you to start pushing—"

"_THIS BABY ISN'T COMING OUT UNTIL DIMITRI IS HERE!_"

The sound and volume of my voice briefly made everyone in the room freeze and take a step back in fear.

"That's not something you can control, Rosemarie." Dr. L.J. said. "The baby comes when it wants to come. And your baby is coming right now."

"You haven't met Rose," Adrian said. "When she wants to hold out, she can hold out."

All heads turned to look at him.

He shrugged. "What? I know this because we dated for six months. And no, that's not my child. Now, pay attention to the pregnant lady in labor."

"Maybe someone can push the baby back in until the Russian gets here?" Christian suggested. "Just poke at it."

The pressure on my lower body was unbearable, and that's when I realized the epidural was wearing off and I was beginning to regain feeling. Not good. "I need more drugs!" I panted. Tears ran out of my eyes and down my cheeks. I had never put so much into something. Just as Adrian had said, I was holding out. Trying to keep the baby inside of me, which was an extremely difficult process considering the little bastard seemed hell bent on getting out.

"Sorry, honey. Too late for that." the doctor said.

"Everyone back up! Now! Or get out! I need you out of the way!" The plump redheaded nurse screamed, making a shooing motion with her gloved hands.

"All right, are you ready Rose? Take a deep breath, hold it, and _push!_" Dr. L.J. said. "1…2…3…4…"

**MPOV:**

"This your place?" Darius asked, shutting the front door.

"No. I just picked the lock and figured we'd park it here at this stranger's house for a night until we rob that bank tomorrow." I joked, which was totally inappropriate considering the situation. Clearing my throat, I held up my arms. "Yep. This is it. I know it's small, but it works for me—"

"It's great. Don't feel uncomfortable in your home. I am a guest."

"Would you like something to drink?" I headed for the kitchen.

"Yeah, that'd be great." Darius followed me, electric-blue eyes still searching the area. "Man, this place is sparkling clean. Like something out of Better Homes and Gardens magazine—not that I ever read any of that chick crap."

I snorted as I opened the fridge. "What would you like?"

"Whatever you got. It doesn't matter."

I peered at him through my hanging hair. "No. I want _you_ to tell me what you'd like. I've got water. Lemonade. Peach Snapple. And every soda you could ever imagine."

"Do you have diet Coke?"

I nodded and tossed him one.

"Oh, thank God." Darius said, rubbing his stomach. "If you're wondering why I chose to have diet is because I have no choice. It allows me to eat anything while keeping my figure a ten. What more could I want?"

I laughed. "I really don't think that's the reason."

"You know me better than I know myself," he cracked it open, tossed his head back, and chugged half it down. "I don't know what it is about diet Coke. It's just so delicious and so…American."

"You are the strangest man I have ever met," I shook my head and took a sip of ice water.

Suddenly, Darius went all serious. "You never told me about Aaron."

Taking a deep breath, I fiddled with a cube, avoiding his intense gaze. "We broke up."

"When?"

"A month after that night you threw him on the hood of Lissa's Mercedes." An obnoxious laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. I covered my mouth with my hand when the laughter became uncontrollable and I snorted.

Darius's mouth twitched. "What's so funny, _Tesoro?_"

"That's Italian, right?"

He nodded and took another drink of his soda.

"What does it mean?"

"Treasure." he said. Something completely foreign flickered in my chest and positively roared. "Now, tell me what's so funny."

"Aaron was a douche, and though it was completely wrong of you, he kind of deserved the treatment you gave him."

"I'm glad you're finally seeing things the way I am." Darius said gruffly. "Why did you and Aaron break up?"

"You're just full of questions, aren't you."

"I want to make sure you're okay. I…care for you. Very much so. You're family to me, Mia. Anyone messes with you, and I'll take care of them."

That felt strangely good. With Darius's protection, I felt like I could take on an army.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Aaron just wasn't the one for me."

"Imagine that." he muttered, then gestured to the couch. "Mind if I sit down?"

"Not at all. Go ahead."

The couch seemed to shrink. He dwarfed the damn thing. But, my God, did he look wonderful in my living room. My dirty thoughts brought me to a whole other universe.

Darius was naked underneath me, so incredibly magnificent in his bare glory that I couldn't tear my eyes off him. My hands roamed over his golden-brown skin, down the mountains of rock-hard muscle, briefly dancing over his hips.

He made a wonderful sound in the back of his throat, almost a growl, and flipped me over, taking control. It didn't surprise me that he was the dominating type. He radiated power and confidence. Darius's hands gripped my hips, then traveled down my thighs, and up to my bottom, where he gave a hard squeeze that had me shuddering underneath him.

"You have another thing coming…" I panted as I fought to straddle him again. "…if you think you're the one who's in charge here."

"Mmmm. I love when you fight me." Darius's teeth grazed my earlobe and tugged on it. Those torturous fingertips traveled over my navel, heading for dangerous territory.

I cried out and arched wildly underneath him. My whole body was covered in flames. I wasn't sure I could take much more before I combusted from the infinite pleasure.

"Stop it…" My toes curled. I managed to open my eyes and stare into his hungry, passionate ones. "You're making my mind go all numb. I can't think straight…"

There was another struggle as we each fought to take control. Of course, Darius claimed the spot effortlessly. "I'm going to make more than your mind go numb, baby girl—"

"Mia? _Mia?_"

I blinked and focused on Darius's colossal form on the couch.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine. Was just thinking about something." I blushed furiously when I realized I'd been daydreaming about having sex with him. How inappropriate! Ivan had been killed today!

"You sure about that?" Darius smiled slyly. "Because you're redder than a stop sign, you keep licking your lips, and at the risk of sounding like a total inconsiderate asshole, your nipples are hard."

"What!" I scrambled to cover myself up, crossing my arms.

"They just kind of stuck out there. I promise I wasn't staring, but it was kind of hard not to notice them through your shirt."

The ground needed to open up and swallow me whole. Now! "It's just cold, that's all. The thermostat is on low. Let me turn it up a bit."

His booming laughter filled the whole studio apartment as I ran to fix the nonexistent A.C. problem. I stayed there for about fifteen minutes, just gathering up the courage and trying to recover from the embarrassment. Taking a deep breath, I went out to face the storm.

Only to stop short and slam against Darius's chest. I bounced back and was steadied by his arm snapping out and grabbing my own.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Fine. What are you doing?"

"Just watching you stand there the whole time. I found it amusing seeing you blush and curse yourself."

"That's...weird and borderline stalker-ish."

"Stalker-ish?" he arched a black brow. "I'll feel bad about being _stalker-ish_ when it's a real word. You never told me why you and Aaron broke up."

I shrugged and passed by him. "It's not important." I dropped down on the couch.

"Maybe that's what you think. But I would like to know." Darius settled in beside me, grabbed my legs, and put my feet in his lap. The gesture was so casual, yet so comforting. I felt like I could relax and be myself around him. With Aaron, I'd always had to be the perfect girlfriend, say the right things, laugh at appropriate times. I felt like with Darius, I could eat whatever I wanted, have sweatpants on, my hair tied up, and no makeup on, and he'd still think I was beautiful.

For no apparent reason, I found myself telling the truth about Aaron, "I don't know. We just started fighting a lot. That's all we'd ever do. I was tired of being so 'in control' in front of him. I wanted to be _me._ But he hated that. He wouldn't even have sex with me! Can you believe that? He straight up refused it saying, "I want a lady in my bed, and you're far from being a lady." It's not like I wanted it anyways! The guy was hung like a hamster- oh, shit." The realization of what I'd just said hit me like a train. "Please tell me I didn't say that."

Darius smiled brilliantly, but there was a blazing anger in his eyes that chilled me to the bone. "You did say that."

"Ugh. Yeah. Sorry. Anyways...one day we got in this big argument at his parents house during their anniversary dinner. He excused us from the table, grabbed my arm, and pulled me up to his bedroom. He yelled at me for like twenty minutes because I had started eating before his parents had made their appearance. Which is incredibly rude, I know that...but I was so hungry. I hadn't eaten all day. And I only took two bites of the salad. _Two_ bites! They didn't even notice it!" I drew in a shaky breath, trying to cool my rage at my ex. "Anyways, when Aaron demanded that I apologize to him, I actually stood up to him and told him I would never. He slapped me. I ran out of the room and headed for my car, telling him it was over and I never wanted to talk to him again. He was pretty upset about that apparently, because he pushed me down the stairs."

Darius's jaw clenched until I heard his teeth grind together. "He pushed you down the stairs?"

"Yeah, but it's not a big deal. I only broke my ankle-"

"_He broke your ankle?_"

"Yeah," I repeated myself. "But it's not a big deal. It was months and months ago-"

"_It is a big deal!_" Darius boomed, and suddenly I was terrified. I recoiled, reminded of Darius's size and his incredible muscles and the captivating, brutal way he fought. He was so much stronger than I was, so much taller. If I'd tried to run to the door to get away from him, he wouldn't let me get two feet before catching me. If I'd try to fight him, he could break me like a toothpick.

He swore in Italian when he looked into my eyes. "I'm sorry, _Tesoro._ Don't be afraid of me." he slowly reached out and ran his fingers down my cheek. I was proud that I only flinched a little. "I would put a bullet through my own head before I ever hurt you."

Surprising even myself, I turned my head and kissed his palm. "I know you would never hurt me."

"It just makes me indescribably angry. No man should ever lay his hands on a woman like that, especially not you. What Aaron did..." Darius shook his head, at loss for words. "You want me to take care of him?"

I choked a little. "What?"

"I can make sure he never bothers you again. I'm serious, Mia. You say the word, and he's no longer a problem of yours."

"What? Oh. No. No. No. No. Thank you...that's very _flattering_, but I'd rather have Aaron alive."

"You sure?"

I nearly laughed. He was dead serious. "Yeah, I'm sure. But if he ever comes around here again, I'll let you be second in line for laying a good punch on him. Okay?"

"Sounds good. But who's first?"

"Me. Of course."

He clapped his hands together, as if he was cheering on his favorite team. "Damn! That's hot. Not going to lie. I love when a woman stands up for herself-"

I leaned forward and kissed him. It was closed mouth and quick, lasting only long enough to blink, but I indulged in the feeling of his soft lips against mine. When I pulled back and discovered the shock in his eyes and the rigidness in his body, my cheeks warmed again. "I'm sorry. That was completely inappropriate-"

Darius cupped my face and crushed his lips to mine. His kiss and mouth devoured me completely. I was lost. I always loved the way he kissed me, like he was starving and always wanted more.

I was the one who broke the kiss when he shifted his body and hovered above me, fists planted in the couch cushions at my sides. "This is so wrong." I said, not really sure what the words meant. My mind was a fuzzy mess.

"Why is it wrong?" he was so gentle as his mouth traveled across my jaw and down my neck. "It feels pretty fucking right to me."

"Because of everything that happened today," I said, wrapping my arms around him and hugging him when he froze. "It just wouldn't be right. Not today."

He relaxed in my embrace and laid against me. "Fine." I chuckled at his childish tone. "But I still get to cuddle with you."

"Cuddle?" I closed my eyes, trying not to get lost - or aroused - at the feel of his body flush against mine. Which was extremely hard, considering he was deliberately rocking his hips against mine.

"Yeah, that's right. I said it. I want to cuddle with you." Darius admitted.

I giggled. "Okay, you can _cuddle_ with me. But first, hop up and grab us something to eat and drink. I've got Everybody Loves Raymond episodes recorded on the TiVo."

"You like Everybody Loves Raymond?"

"My favorite show."

"Damn," Darius said. "You really are the woman of my dreams."

**RPOV:**

"There's the head!" Dr. L.J. shouted in victory. "You're doing fantastic, Rosemarie! Just one more great push and your beautiful baby will be here! Give it all you got!"

Gritting my teeth and crushing Lissa's hand, I held my breath and did exactly as he said. Tears were pouring out of my eyes, but they weren't from pain. At least not in the physical sense.

"There we go! Go, go, go, go—"

The doors flew open.

I cried out when I saw who was there.

Dimitri came in very keyed up, looking like he'd been running away from a mob of doctors, nurses, and security guards. He was naked except for a sheet wrapped around his waist, and there was tape on his arms and stray tubes, as if he'd ripped out his IV's to get to me. His chest was bandaged heavily, with a perfect crimson circle in the middle where the bullet had entered his skin.

"I'm so sorry." he ran over to me and grabbed my hand. "I got here as fast as I could. How are you feeling, baby?"

I beamed up at him, temporarily forgetting my pain and just overjoyed that he was still alive and had made it through his emergency surgery.

"You're here." I greedily took his kiss when he leaned down to give me one. "I was so scared that you weren't going to make it…"

"Shhh." Dimitri pressed a finger to my mouth. "We have a daughter to give birth to."

"A daughter? We're having a girl?"

"I'm sorry." he smiled somewhat sheepishly. "I couldn't wait. I asked the doctor on your last visit."

"Wait, what? He knew the sex?" Adrian glanced back at the blue balloons and stuffed animals. "That's bullshit! I could have saved so much money."

Joy and happiness and relief filled me. A giggle burst out of my mouth. "I'll kick your ass later." I winked at Dimitri. "But for now, I'm just glad you're here."

"One more thing…" Still holding my hand, Dimitri awkwardly arranged his sheet and got down on one knee. "I bought this two days after we started dating and have carried it around with me ever since, but I can't think of a better time than right now to give it to you." A small, black velvet box was revealed. He opened it, and the most perfect diamond ring sparkled in the light above. "Roza, will you marry me?"

"This is the worst timing _ever!_" I screamed, but held out my left hand. "Yes, Dimitri Belikov, I will marry you."

Dimitri smile was so beautiful it took my breath away. As the whole room clapped and tears brimmed in the nurses, Lissa's, and Tasha's eyes, Dimitri slipped the ring on the correct finger and kissed me until I couldn't breathe.

"You're crazy!" I said.

"I love you." he said.

The doctor and nurses cleared their throats and seemed to realize that they still had a job to do. Instantly, they were all back in business. "One more push, Rose. Give it your all!" Dr. L.J. said.

I grabbed Dimitri's hand. "You ready, babe?"

"Always."

**MPOV: **

My phone buzzed, bringing my attention away from a favorite episode of Everybody Loves Raymond. Turning back to Darius, I realized I was in a pickle. His sleeping body was sprawled over mine, head on my stomach, chest and waist covered my legs. Even if his weight was tremendous and nearly crushing me, I loved the feel of him against me. As weird as it sounded, I felt like I could protect him from all the harm in the world when he was in my arms.

I smiled when I found one of his hands curled in my hair. He seemed to adore my locks. Couldn't get enough of them. He'd told me they were so soft—

The phone buzzed again.

Sighing and not wanting to wake him, I maneuvered out of his hold. Which was tricky business. Each time I moved even an inch, Darius would stir in his slumber, unconsciously wrap his arms around me, and hug me like he never wanted to let go.

I picked up the phone and automatically grinned when I read the text:

_Healthy baby girl. Gorgeous, dark eyes. Ridiculous amount of curly hair. Name's __Nikolia Ivana.__ Would you like to see your niece? ~R_


	19. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by Ms. Belikov. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p><strong>AN: **This is the last chapter! There will be **NO SEQUEL** :( I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad to see this story go. But I am glad to be moving on to work on my other stories and possibly future ones I might create. I had a blast writing this story, and I'm so happy that you guys had a blast reading it! I want to thank everyone who has read/reviewed/favorited/alerted this story, it means the world to me and I couldn't have finished this fic if it wasn't for all of you!

~Bree

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><p><strong>4 years later…<strong>

**RPOV:**

"Niko! Getcha booty back here and clean up this mess!" I hollered. "Don't make me get your father up here."

"Whoa! Whoa, mom. No need to pull out the big guns." The closet door opened and my daughter came out, dressed in her one piece red, white, and blue bathing suit and flip flops.

Instantly, my heart and anger melted at the sight of her. Not that I was biased or anything, but my daughter was a true beauty. Nikolia had inherited the same intense, bottomless eyes from her father. Her hair was outrageous, too. So thick and long and curly. And her face? Forget about it.

"Where were you hiding?" I asked, kicking back into mom mode.

"In the closet," she giggled, but her face dropped when I shot her a murderous look. "Don't worry, though. I didn't mess up your clothes, mommy."

"Good. Now clean up your Lego's." I said. "You can come down when you're done."

Downstairs, I rummaged through the fridge for a soda and had to laugh as I overheard Darius's conversation with his children.

"See, my sons. When you're getting down to business with a female, you want to know what you're doing so she doesn't look at you like you're stupid and you don't get embarrassed. I'm going to teach you a few crucial keys to succeeding in life." Darius paused. "Number one: Unfastening a bra. You've got to use these three fingers right here—no, son, these three. There you go. Now, this only works for bras that unlock in the back. If you've got a woman with one in the front, you're on your own. Now, I'm going to show you what I call The Twist. It's how I got your mommy's bra undone, and how ultimately, it led to your conceiving—"

"All right," Mia fought off her giggles. "Isaac and Lucas are three, babe. This talk is about fifteen years short."

"I only want our sons prepared for the world."

Rolling my eyes, I pushed the kitchen doors open. "Oh, look at you three." I grinned at Darius and his identical twin boys in their star shorts. "You are matching."

"Just trying to be patriotic." Darius draped an arm over Mia's shoulder. "I tried to get ma' wife to dress as the Statue of Liberty—I even bought her the costume. But she refused."

"Imagine that. It's a hundred and four degrees out and she doesn't want to be covered in robes and a big hat." I said.

"I'm not saying that I mind," his eyes traveled over her bikini-clad body. "This is actually a lot better—"

Mia put a hand over his mouth. "I'm going to stop you right there, because I'm positive you were going to lead to something extremely inappropriate."

"You know me too well, _Tesoro_."

I picked up Issac when he tapped my leg. He smiled brilliantly at me and kissed my cheek. "You look boo-ti-full, Aunty Rose."

"Well, aren't you a charmer. Thank you, sweetie." I ruffled his black hair. "Hey! Nikolia! Are you coming down?"

"Sheesh. Don't have a cow, mom." my daughter descended the grand stair case.

I gave her the evil eye. "You need to stop talking to me like that."

Nikolia pressed her hands together and smile angelically, batting her long eyelashes.

I snorted. "That may work on your father. But not on me. Now, let's go enjoy our Fourth of July."

Outside, the kids—and Darius—eagerly enjoyed the swimming pool while Mia and I sunbathed and sipped our strawberry daiquiris'.

"Cannonball!" Darius boomed, springing off the diving board, flipping gracefully in the air, and dropping into the pool, creating a massive splash that sent huge waves crashing in the water.

Nikolia, Isaac, and Lucas fought against the waves, laughing their butts off. Thankfully, they were great swimmers and used the extra added fun to their advantage.

"Dun-duh…dun-duh…dun-duh…dun-duh…" Darius hummed the Jaws theme song.

"Daddy is a shark!" Lucas yelled as Darius pursued him.

Mia and I laughed as we watched the kids scramble and scream to get away from Darius.

"He really is a child at heart, isn't he?"

Mia straightened her sun hat and big oval glasses. "You bet'cha."

I took a sip from my drink and nearly chocked on it as Darius held Isaac high in the air, made a dramatic fierce expression, and roared in victory.

"Did you ever think you'd end up here?" Mia asked, face heartbreakingly fond and loving as she stared at her husband and their children.

Dimitri came out of the mansion, body and face amazing as ever. Nikolia hopped out of the pool and ran over to her father. "Daddy!" she screamed. My husband picked Nikolia up and twirled her around in the air, getting that affectionate and tender glint in his eyes that only his daughter could bring out.

After giving her a kiss to the cheek, he gently lowered her in the water and glided towards me. Dimitri's smile was sly and slightly predatory as he slipped a bottle of tanning oil out of his swimming trunks and poured some in his palms, rubbing them together, preparing them for my skin.

"No, I didn't." I told Mia with a smile as Dimitri leaned down to give me a lingering kiss. "But I can't see myself anywhere else."


	20. Chapter 20

Hey, guys! Long time no see. Haven't been here in a while & I've been writing again. Interested in hearing from me again? Possible sequels, new stories, updates, etc.? Review & let me know! I miss you guys!


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